Agostino Veneziano's engraving, “Hadrian meets Androclus”, 1516–17

Agostino Veneziano (aka Agostino dei Musi) (fl.1509-1536)

“Hadrian meets Androclus” (aka “The Emperor Meeting the Warrior” [Bartsch title]), 1516–17, according to the Rijksmuseum (inv.no. RP-P-OB-36,608) this engraving is after a drawing by the school of Marcantonio Raimondi in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (inv.no. 80.3.190), according to the British Museum (inv. no. H,2.9) the design may be after Raphael (aka Raffaello Santi; Raffaello Sanzio; Raffaello) (1483–1520).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed within the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 37 x 24.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (lower left corner) “.A.V.”

State ii (of ii) with the addition of artist’s monogram on the rock at the lower left corner.

TIB 26 (14). 196 (160) (Konrad Oberhuber [ed.] 1978, “The Illustrated Bartsch: The Works of Marcantonio Raimondi and of His School”, vol. 26, p. 193, cat. no. 196 [160]); Bartsch XIV.160.196; Nagler 50.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Emperor Hadrian on horseback freeing Androcles who is flanked by Roman soldiers and has a lion at his side”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1441088&partId=1&searchText=Agostino+Veneziano+&page=1)

See also the Rijksmuseum’s description of this print:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.157224.

Condition: superb, richly inked and well-printed impression trimmed within the platemark. I believe that this may be an early impression (based on the strength of the lines). There are thin areas and evidence of old mounting marks (visible only verso), otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition.

I am selling this strong early engraving, arguably executed in collaboration with Marcantonio Raimondi (see Nagler cat. no. 50), for a total cost of AU$572 (currently US$394.95/EUR354.15/GBP302.75 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this fascinating engraving of Emperor Hadrian meeting Androcles portrayed walking with his embarrassingly small lion—I describe this particular lion as “his” as Androcles is the man who once pulled a thorn from a lion’s paw only to become reacquainted with the same lion in the Colosseum’s arena when the lion was meant to eat him rather than lick him all over in joy—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold