Francesco Bartolozzi, “Holy Family”, c. 1764, after Guercino

Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815)

“Holy Family”, c. 1764

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching printed in a rich dark brown ink on heavy laid paper, trimmed unevenly with some significant losses of the writing edge. The sheet has been professionally laid onto washi paper for support and features wide margins. It was published in Rome in 1764 as a plate in the series of twenty-eight etchings after Guercino (also known as Giovanni Francesco Barbieri) (1591–1666) by various artists titled “Raccolta di alcuni disegni di Barbieri da Cento detto il Guercino”. For reference, see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1929-1028-6-1.

The design is based on a drawing by Guercino, which was part of the collection of the print publisher, collector, and printmaker Antonio Maria Zanetti I (1680–1767) at the time of this print’s creation.

The impression is strong and well-printed, though the sheet shows notable signs of handling, including marks, abrasions (notably around Christ’s genitals), and fractures.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 37.8 x 28.2 cm
• Image borderline: 35.8 x 26.9 cm

In-Plate Lettering:

• Lower-left corner: “Guercino da Cento inv”

References:

• Calabi & De Vesme 2111 (Augusto Calabi, Francesco Bartolozzi. Catalogue des estampes et notice biographique d'après les manuscrits de A. De Vesme entièrement réformés et complétés d'une étude critique par A. Calabi, 1828, Milan, Guido Modiano, cat. no. 2111)
• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_S-5-13
• National Galleries of Scotland: https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/158056

Price & Shipping:

AU$261 (approx. US$183.54 / €157.02 / £136.95), including worldwide express shipping. Import duties and taxes (if any) are the buyer’s responsibility.

To acquire this masterfully executed and richly glowing etching of the Virgin Mary breastfeeding the Christ Child, with Saint Joseph looking on, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless transaction.

Johann Elias Haid’s mezzotint, “Portrait of Printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi”, c.1773, after Sir Joshua Reynolds

Johann Elias Haid (1736–1809)

“Portrait of Printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi” (aka “Francis Bartolozzi Esqr.”), c.1773, mezzotint after the portrait of the famous printmaker and founder member of Royal Academy of Arts, Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815), by the first President of the Royal Academy in 1768, Sir Joshua Reynolds (aka Joshua Reynolds) (1723–1792), published in London by James Birchall (fl.1781–1794).

Note that there are other reproductive print variations of Reynold’s portrait of Bartolozzi (https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/872094). Five years after Haid’s circular mezzotint was executed, Thomas Watson (1743–1781) published a rectangular mezzotint portrait of Bartolozzi dated 1778 after Reynolds (see https://www.artnet.com/artists/thomas-watson/portrait-of-francesco-bartolozzi-after-sir-joshu-aa-RsuuCPyKax1tSbSQjyAo6g2) and fifteen years after Haid’s mezzotint, Robert Samuel Marcuard (1751–1792)—a pupil of Bartolozzi—etched an oval variation of Reynold’s portrait (1788) showing Bartolozzi holding an etching needle in his right hand; see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.623579.

Mezzotint with etching on heavy laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 28.1 x 20.2 cm; (plate) 21.7 x 14.3 cm; (image borderline diameter) 13 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “S^r Joshua Reynolds Pinx^t.”; (centre) “FRANCIS BARTOLOZZI ESQ^r.”; (right) “J. E. Haid fecit.”

Mortzfeld A 959 (Peter Mortzfeld & Herzog August 1996, “Die Porträtsammlung der Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel”, Munich, K.G. Saur, p. 124, cat. no. A 959); Drugulin 1025; Singer 5234.

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:  https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1875-0710-3844.

Condition: a strong impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with wide margins around the platemark in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this rare mezzotint—note that the Rijksmuseum does not hold a copy in their large collection of prints by Johann Elias Haid—showing an historically important portrait after Joshua Reynolds of the famous printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi , who popularised the "crayon manner" of stipple engraving, for the total cost of AU$259 (currently US$173.12/EUR156.64/GBP137.88 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this skilfully executed and very beautiful mezzotint, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Francesco Bartolozzi’s etching with engraving, “Concert Ticket for Felice Giardin”, 1780, after Giovanni Battista Cipriani

Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815)

“Concert Ticket for Felice Giardini”—billhead for the Italian violinist and composer, Felice Giardini (1716–1796), possibly for a performance on, or around, April 6^th 1780 (based on a hand-written note on another copy of this concert ticket held by the British Museum [BM inv. no. C,3.12])—1780, after the design by Giovanni Battista Cipriani (aka John Baptist Cipriani) (1727–1785). A proof impression before the addition of the publication details, “Publish'd as the Act directs Feby. 4th, 1780,,”, and the later inscription on oval banner: “For the Benefit of Mr Giardini”. See another proof impression from a later state after the publication details were added, but before the addition of the banner inscription: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_C-3-11.  

Etching with engraving on heavy laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 18.2 x 15.5 cm; (plate) 14 x 11.3 cm; (image borderline)11 x 9.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “G. B. Cipriani inv:”; (right) “F. Bartolozzi sculp. 1780”.

State i (of iii) before the addition of the publication details of state ii and before the addition of the dedication to Mr Giardini of state iii.

Calabi & De Vesme 1923 (Augusto Calabi & Alexandre de Vesme 1928, “Francesco Bartolozzi : Catalogue de Estampes et Notice Biographique”, Milan, Guido Modiano, cat. no. 1923).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Bill-head for the benefit of Mr Giardini; a young woman seated on a pedestal, touching a lyre on a table with her left hand, holding a quill pen in her right, turned and looking towards a putto who stands behind her; on the right, Cupid seated on floor, holding an arrow, covering his face with hands; in an oval; after Cipriani. 1780” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_C-3-12).

Condition: a strong impression laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this curiosity of an etching that is not only a first state impression but I understand that it is also executed as a concert ticket for the performance by the celebrated Italian violinist (and composer) of the time, Felice Giardini, for AU$233 (currently US$155.74/EUR140.91/GBP124.04 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this rare and historically interesting concert ticket, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Francesco Bartolozzi’s engraving, “Proverb V: Warning Against Adultery”, 1764

Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815)

“Proverb V: Warning Against Adultery” (aka “Juvenis ascultans seni de divinis admonenti”; “My son attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding”), 1764, published in London by John Boydell (1719–1804) as an illustration to Chapter 5 of “The Proverbs of Solomon”, regarding the perils of adultery:

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom;

Lend your ear to my understanding,

That you may preserve discretion,

And your lips may keep knowledge.

For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,

And her mouth is smoother than oil;

But in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword … (https://biblia.com/books/nkjv/Pr5.1-3).

The British Museum advises that the two figures portrayed are after Camillo Procaccini’s (1561–1629) fresco, “Last Judgement”, in S. Prospero, Reggio Emilia (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1989-1209-21-88). Note, however, that the print is inscribed as being after the design of Pellegrino Tibaldi (aka Pellegrino De' Pellegrini) (1527–1596).

Engraving and etching printed in umber ink and trimmed around the image borderline with small marrgins.

Size: (sheet) 47.2 x 33.9 cm; (image borderline) 39.4 x 31.8 cm.

Lettered below the image borderline: (left) “Pellegrino Tibaldi del.”; (centre) “Juvenis auscultans Seni de divinis admonenti./ My Son attend unto my Wisdom, and bow thine ear to my Understanding. Proverbs Ch. V.”; (right) “F. Bartolozzi Londini sculpsit.”

State iii (of iii) with the addition of the title text.

Calabi & De Vesme 339

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “An older man, seated on a cloud, head in profile to right, left arm raised, index finger pointing upwards, talking to a younger man, seated at his feet, his right arm resting on his left knee; in the background on the right, bust and heads of three male figures” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_S-6-8).

Condition: a well-printed (almost faultless) impression trimmed with a small margin around the image borderline. The sheet is in superb/near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, foxing or signs of handling.

I am selling this large and sensitively executed engraving showcasing the amazing skill that made Francesco Bartolozzi famous—interestingly, this print heralds his later fame for using coloured ink (especially sanguine) and inventing the “crayon manner” in which stippling is employed to reproduce the coarse textures of chalk/crayon drawings—for AU$328 (currently US$236.11/EUR210.25/GBP175.81at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this technically superb engraving in near pristine condition, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Francesco Bartolozzi, “Mary with Child, Angels and Three Saints”, 1746, after Antonio Balestra

Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815)

“Mary with Child, Angels and Three Saints” (Rijksmuseum title) (aka “Three Saints of the Order of S. Dominic in Ecstasy before the Blessed Virgin”; Ex Tela quæ visitur in Templo Societatis Jesu Venetiis”; “La Vierge dans les Nues, avec l'Enfant Jésus adoré par Trois Saints de l'Ordre des Jésuites”), 1739/46 (pub.) 1760–80, after the painting of the same composition by Antonio Balestra (1666-1740), published in Venice by Joseph (Giuseppe) Wagner (aka Giuseppe Vagner) (1706–1786).

Etching and engraving on heavy laid paper trimmed slightly within the platemark (with loss of the plate number) and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 57.6 x 35.8 cm; (image borderline with uneven sides) 53 x 34.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Antonius Balestra Veronen^s Pinxit”; (centre) “Ex Tela quæ visitur in Templo Societatis Jesu Venetiis.”; “Franc.^us Bartolozzi Sculp. appo Wagner Venezia C.P.E.S.”

State iii? (of iii) Note that the states are determined by the plate number which has been trimmed off in this impression.

De Vesme (Bartolozzi) 300 (Alexandre de Vesme & Augusto Calabi, 1928, “Francesco Bartolozzi. Catalogue des estampes et notice biographique d'après les manuscrits de A. De Vesme entièrement réformés et complétés d'une étude critique par A. Calabi”, Milan, Guido Modiano. Milan, p. 64, cat. no. 300).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Three Jesuit Saints, the Holy Virgin and the infant Jesus; two Saints kneeling below to right, one receiving a lily from an angel which points upwards, where the third Saint kneels in the clouds, gazing at the infant Jesus in his arms, the Virgin sitting to left, smiling; cherubs grouped in lower left, with vine, lily, crowns and a book; after Balestra. 1760” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1868-0808-2694).

The Rijksmuseum identifies the saints in the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Mary sits on a cloud carried by angels. Next to her sits on a cloud the Polish saint Stanislaus Kostka with the Christ Child in his arms. Kneeling on the floor are Saint Francis Borgia and Saint Louis Gonzaga. Putti in the foreground on the left” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.75375).

See also the description offered by the Herzog Anton Ulrich-Museum Braunschweig: https://nat.museum-digital.de/index.php?t=objekt&oges=831871&cachesLoaded=true&navlang=tr.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed slightly within the platemark and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is a restored tear on the left, otherwise the sheet is in very good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this huge engraving exemplifying the Baroque period style for the total cost of AU$310 (currently US$225.10/EUR192.03/GBP163.82 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this magnificently grand, rare and very beautiful engraving, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.