Francesco Rosaspina, “The Preaching of St. John the Baptist”, c1830, after Lodovico Carracci

Francesco Rosaspina (1762–1841)

“The Preaching of St. John the Baptist” (aka “La Predicazione di S. Gio[v]anni Battista”; “John the Baptist Preaching to a Crowd at the River Jordan”), c.1830, after the altarpiece painting in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Bologna, “Sermon of the Baptist” (aka “Predica del Battista”), 1592, (see https://www.pinacotecabologna.beniculturali.it/it/content_page/item/96-predica-del-battista), by Lodovico Carracci (aka Ludovico Carracci) (1555–1619), from the series published in Bologna by the Francesco Rosaspina in 1830, “La Pinacoteca della Pontificia Accademia di Belle Arti, Bologna” (The Art Gallery of the Pontifical Academy of Fine Arts, Bologna).

The Wellcome Collection offers an online view of the prints in the series, “La Pinacoteca della Pontificia Accademia di Belle Arti, Bologna”, including a description of this print (curiously described as a drawing): https://wellcomecollection.org/search/works?partOf.title=La+Pinacoteca+della+Pontificia+Accademia+delle+Belle+Arti+in+Bologna; https://wellcomecollection.org/works/fshbzx4d).

Interestingly, the British Museum holds an etching by an unidentified printmaker (late 18^th century) showing Lodovico Carracci’s composition in the reverse direction: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_U-1-23.

Etching with engraving on wove paper with full margins as published.

Size: (sheet) 48.8 x 31.5 cm; (plate) 34.5 x 22.7 cm; (image borderline) 28.4 x 16.9 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Lod Carracci dip”; (centre) “LA PREDICAZIONE DI S. GIOANNI BATTISTA”; (right) F. Rosaspina dis. e inc.”

Condition: a well-printed faultless impression with generously wide margins in an excellent (near pristine) condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains.

I am selling this large and exquisitely executed etching (with engraving) translating in line and dot the colours and tones of Carracci’s exemplary Baroque painting— for AU$289 in total (currently/approximately US$193.49/ EUR177.97/ GBP152.29 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$289) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this seldom seen print on the art market, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.