Giuseppe Camerata II’s engraving, “Half-Length Figure with a Beard”, c1754, after Dietricy

Giuseppe Camerata II (aka Joseph Camerata) (1718–1803)

“Half-Length Figure with a Beard”, c1754 (1751–57), after a painting in the Dresden Gallery (Galerie Electorale de Dresde) by Christian Wilhelm Ernst Dietrich (aka commonly known as Dietricy) (1712–1774), published in Leipzig by Dyck—a German printer, publisher and bookseller in Leipzig (fl.c1750–1760s). Note that Camerata was invited to Dresden in 1751 to execute engravings after the paintings in the Dresden Gallery.

Engraving and etching on laid paper, trimmed along (or slightly within) the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 28.5 x 19.6 cm; (image borderline) 23 x 17.8 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “à Dresde chez l'Auteur.”; (centre) “Tableau de la Gallerie Electorale de Dresde peint/ par C. W. E. Dietricy, et grave de la grandeur del’/Original par Joseph Camerata Professeur de l’Academie.” (Painting from the Electoral Gallery of Dresden painted by C. W. E. Dietricy, and engraved to the size of Original by Joseph Camerata Professor of the Academy.); (right) “à Leipsik chez Dyck.”

LeBlanc 27 (Charles Leblanc, 1854, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire par J.Ch. Brunet”, vol. 1, Paris, p. 573; see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96927958/f582 & https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k96927958/f583).

See also the description of this print offered by the Philadelphia Museum of Art: https://philamuseum.org/collection/object/26940.

Note that Camerata made two engravings after Dietricy of different compositions featuring the same bearded man (cat. 27 and 28 [see https://hvrd.art/o/242391]). Charles Leblanc’s catalogue descriptions of these prints differentiates them on the basis of the size of the portrayed beards. I’ve decided that this print matches the description of cat. 27, “grande barbe à mi corps” (big half-length beard) compared to cat. 28 described as a medium beard (“moyenne barbe”).

Condition: a richly inked and well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed with a margin around the image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is thinning to the upper corners, otherwise the sheet is in a good condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this exceptionally fine and strong impression—note how the artist has had the discipline and skill to intermingle both black and white lines in the beard—for the total cost of AU$224 (currently US$161.75/EUR137.68/GBP117.85 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 exquisitely subtle rendering of a head, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Giuseppe Camerata’s etching, “Parable of the Lost Coin”, c1750, after Domenico Feti

Giuseppe Camerata (1718–1803)

“Parable of the Lost Coin”, c1750, after the painting (c1618) of the same composition (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domenico_Fetti_-_Parable_of_the_Lost_Drachma_-_WGA07857.jpg) by Domenico Feti (aka Domenico Fetti) (1589–1623), plate 29 from the series, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus célèbres tableaux de la Galerie Royale de Dresde”, published in the first edition (1753).

Etching with engraving on laid paper with a small margin around the platemark.

Size: (sheet) 43.6 x 31.6 cm; (plate) 42 x 30.8cm; (image borderline) 36.2 x 28.6 cm

Lettered on plate below the image borderline with Italian and French version of the text separated by the engraved seal of the Dresden Gallery: (left) “Quadro di Domenico Feti/ di Mantova/ cavato dalla Galleria Reale di Dresda/ Alto pied: 1. onc: 11 1/2 Largo pied: 1. onc: 6. 1/2.”; (right) “J. Camerata del: et sculps./ Tableau de Dominique Feti/ de Mantoue/ de la Galerie Royale de Dresde./ Haut 1. pieds 11.1/2 pouc: Large 1. pi: 6 1/2 pouc:/ 29.”

State i (of ii?) from the first published edition printed on laid paper in 1753 before additional publication details are added at lower left.

Nagler 1.

Ref: Karl Woermann 1899, “Catalogue of The Royal Picture Gallery in Dresden”, Dresden, Wilhelm Hoffmann's Fine Art Works, p 317.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The parable of the lost coin, with a stooping woman searching the floor of a high room by the light of a lamp, after Fetti. c.1750/57 Etching and engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1855-0609-1303).

For those who are unfamiliar with the “Parable of the Lost Coin”, the following verses from Luke 15:8–10 (New International Version) may be helpful:

8  "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it?

9  “And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.'”

10  “In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents."

To give an insight into the importance of the silver coins (Greek drachmas) in the time of Jesus, I understand that each was worth the equivalent of a day’s wage (see  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+15%3A8-10). 

Condition: well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with a narrow margin around the platemark. There is a faint stain at the lower edge otherwise the sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, losses, abrasions or foxing.

I am selling this large and finely executed etching with dramatic lighting for AU$291 (currently US$208.21/EUR177.48/GBP123.69 at the time of posting this print) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 quietly beautiful etching, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Note that this is a second copy of this etching that I have listed. The earlier copy has been sold.

This print has been sold