Luigi Cunego, “The Liberation of Saint Peter”, 1779, after Domenichino

Luigi Cunego (also known as Aloisius Cunego and Aloysio Cunego) (1757–1823)

“The Liberation of Saint Peter”, 1779

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with engraving on heavy laid paper with small margins. The engraving is based on a design derived from a fresco by Domenichino (also known as Domenico Zampieri) (1581–1641), located in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli (Saint Peter in Chains) in Rome. It depicts the biblical scene from Acts of the Apostles, chapter 12, verse 7: “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists.” (New International Version [NIV]). The print was published in Rome by Domenico Cunego (1727–1803), Luigi Cunego’s father.

This impression is a richly inked, lifetime impression, with crisp, clear lines and no signs of wear to the printing plate. Aside from minor surface marks, the sheet is in excellent condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 47.5 x 30.4 cm
• Platemark: 46.1 x 28.1 cm
• Image borderline: 38 x 25 cm

Plate lettering below the image borderline:

• Left: “Dominicus Zampieri pinxit”
• Centre: “Surge velociter/ Et ceciderunt catene de manibus euis/ Act: Apos: Cap. 12. Vers. 7./ Ex Tabula in Templo S. Petri in Vinculis/ Romæ apud Dominicus Cunego”
• Right: “Aloisius Cunego del. et. Sculp. 1779.”

References:

• Los Angeles County Museum of Art: https://collections.lacma.org/node/248470
• Calcografia Nazionale Rome: https://www.calcografica.it/stampe/inventario.php?id=S-CL2224_3116

Price & Shipping:

AU$288 (approximately US$192.54 / €165.93 / £143.96), including worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you are interested in acquiring this superb example of chiaroscuro lighting within a Baroque composition, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a seamless purchase.

Domenico Cunego’s etching, “The Separation of Land and Water”, 1781, after Michelangelo

Domenico Cunego (1727–1803)

“The Separation of Land and Water” (aka “Producant aquae reptile animae viventis”; “Let the waters produce the creeping things of the living soul” [transl. of inscribed title]), 1781, after a section of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s (1475-1564) Sistine Chapel fresco, published in Rome in 1781 by Domenico Cunego.

Note that I have previously listed an engraving with etching of the same composition with subtle differences by Antonio Capellan (aka Antonio Capellani) (c.1740–1793): see https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2022/03/antonio-capellans-engraving-separation.html.

Etching on laid paper (with watermark), trimmed along the platemark with a thread margin.

Size: (sheet) 20.7 x 23.5 cm; (image borderline) 15.5 x 10.9 cm.

Lettered below the image borderline: (left) “Michael Angelus Bonarota in Pacello Sistino”; (centre) “Producant aquae reptile animae viventis. Gen: Cap. I. Vers. 20./ Romae aqud Dom. Cunego”; (right) “Dom. Cunego sculp Romae 1781”.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression trimmed around the platemark in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing.

I am selling this sensitively executed and very beautiful small etching after a panel of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco, for AU$282 in total (currently US$188.49/EUR170.54/GBP150.13 at the time of posting 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.

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkably fine translation of Michelangelo’s fresco into line, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Antonio Capellan’s engraving, “The Separation of Land and Water”, 1772, after Michelangelo

Antonio Capellan (aka Antonio Capellani) (c1740–1793)

“The Separation of Land and Water”, 1772, proof impression before the addition of title and publication details after a section of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s (1475-1564) Sistine Chapel fresco, possibly later printed and published in 1773 in Rome by Gavin Hamilton (1723–1798) in the series of 40 engravings (including the title plate) by Antonio Capellan and other artists, “Schola Italica Picturae”; see two related engravings by Capellan in the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1856-0510-201; https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1856-0510-216). Note that Domenico Cunego (1727–1803) also made an engraving reproducing the same panel of Michelangelo’s fresco, but with subtle differences (e.g. the treatment of the sky; see https://www.1stdibs.com/furniture/wall-decorations/prints/old-vatican-frescoes-separation-land-from-sea-creation-eve-ca1780/id-f_27420872/).

Engraving with etching and traces of grey wash on laid paper with small margins and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 23.1 x 26 cm; (plate) 21 x 24 cm; (image borderline) 15.7 x 20.1 cm.

Condition: a well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with small margins, but these have been extended by the sheet having been laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is minor surface dustiness, otherwise, the sheet is in an excellent condition. Note that under high magnification I found traces of grey wash (see detail of hand).

I am selling this sensitively executed and very beautiful engraving after a panel of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel fresco, for AU$278 in total (currently US$202.25/EUR185.35/GBP154.26 at the time of posting 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.

If you are interested in purchasing this remarkably fine engraving, 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 

Domenico Cunego’s engraving, “Ozias", c1803, after Michelangelo

Domenico Cunego (1727­–1803)

“Ozias", c1803, plate 3 in the series of 8 plates after Michelangelo’s (1475–1564) lunettes in the Sistine Chapel, after an intermediary drawing by Vincenzo Dolcibeni (aka Vincentius Dolcibene) (fl.1782–1807), published in Rome by Montagnani-Mirabili (aka Pietro Paolo Montagnani-Mirabili) (fl. 1785–1834) before publication in c1805 with the later addition of the plate number (“III”) and publication details for the Calcografia Romana (1738–1870), Rome.

Engraving on heavy laid paper trimmed within the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 38.9 x 52.6 cm; (image borderline) 35.3 x 49.8 cm.

Lettered in plate within the image borderline: (upper left) “MICHAEL ANGELVS/ BONAROTIVS/ PINXIT”;  (upper right) “IN SIXTINO/ VATICANO/ SACELLO”; (lower centre) “OZIAS”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Vincentius Dolcibene del.”; (centre) “PIO SEPTIMO PONT. OPT. MAX./  Venit Romae apud Montagnani-Mirabili ad Forum Pasquini"; (right) “Dom. Cunego sculp. Romae/ PETRVS PAVLVS MONTAGNANI-MIRABILI D.D.D.”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Ozias, after the fresco by Michelangelo in a lunette of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1873-1213-271).

See also the description of this print offered by BeWeB–Ecclesiastical Heritage: https://www.beweb.chiesacattolica.it/benistorici/bene/6487461/.

Condition: a strong impression in excellent condition with no stains or foxing, trimmed within the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this huge engraving for AU$257 (currently US$192.47/EUR162/GBP138.45 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 superb engraving of Michelangelo’s fresco lunette showing the boy who will ultimately rule Judah until his sad demise when the Lord in anger struck him dead for what I understand was the irreverent act of touching the Ark of the Covenant in order to steady it during transportation after an oxen stumbled (2 Samuel 6), 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

Domenico Cunego’s engraving, “Roboam", after Michelangelo, c1802

Domenico Cunego (1727­–1803)

“Roboam", c1802, plate 4 in the series of 8 plates after Michelangelo’s (1475–1564) lunettes in the Sistine Chapel, after the drawing by Vincenzo Dolcibeni (aka Vincentius Dolcibene) (fl.1782–1807), published in c.1805 by Calcografia Romana (1738–1870), Rome.

Engraving on heavy laid paper with wide margins lined with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 53.9 x 70.8 cm; (plate) 39.6 x 53 cm; (image borderline) 35.1 x 49.4 cm

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: “IV”

Lettered on plate within the image borderline: (upper left) “MICHAEL ANGELVS BONAROTIVS PINXIT”; (upper right) “IN SIXTINO VATICANO SACELLO”; (lower centre) “ROBOAM”

Letter on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Vincentius Dolcibene del.” (centre) “PIO SEPTIMO PONT OPT. MAX. /  Roma Presso la Calcografia Camerale"; (right) “Dom. Cunego sculp. Romae”

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Roboam, after the fresco by Michelangelo in a lunette of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. c.1805”

(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3223677&partId=1&searchText=Cunego+michelangelo&page=1)

Condition: crisp impression in near faultless condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, abrasions, stains, or foxing with minor signs of handling at the top edge).  The sheet has been laid on an archival support sheet.

I am selling this huge engraving in magnificent condition for AU$257 (currently US$192.47/EUR162/GBP138.45 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 superb engraving exemplifying the discipline and technical control of the finest engravers, 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

I am really out of my depth in discussing the meaning of this image but I hope that I am correct (forgive me if I am wrong) in saying that the figures are Christ’s ancestors in terms of the verse where the figure, “Roboam”, is mentioned in Matthew 1:7 “And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia …”

Regarding Cunego’s enormous engraving—I recommend stretching out your hands to 70 cm to understand that this is a big print!—the technical skill is of the highest order, in the sense disciplined control of the burin with exceptionally fine lines employed to render the form of the figures. Nevertheless, at the time that the print and the others in the same series were executed they were not held in such high esteem. Indeed William Hendry Stowell (1811) in the essay “Duppa’s Life of Michel Angelo” in “The Ecletic Review, Volume 14, Part 2” offers the following insightful and very cutting analysis of Cunego’s engravings:

“The prints which are now in course of publication are more mechanical productions, feeble and dry; tolerable specimens, it may be of the engraver’s skill in the use of his tools and the production of his line to an almost insensitive point, but too spiritless, unfeeling, and elaborate to afford an adequate translation of the fire, the character, the soul of the immortal genius whose fame they are designed to extend” (p. 10880).