Pietro Monaco, “Young Tobias Restoring His Old Father’s Sight”, c. 1730–50, after Domenico Fetti

Pietro Monaco (1707–1772)

“Young Tobias Restoring His Old Father’s Sight” (Il giovane Tobia che rende la vista al vecchio padre), circa 1730–1750

Technical Details & Condition:

Etching with engraving on laid paper. The etching is plate 76 in the series “Raccolta di 112 Stampe di Pitture della Storia Sacra” (Collection of 112 Prints of Paintings from Sacred History). It is based on a design originating from a painting of unknown current location by Domenico Fetti (or Domenico Feti) (1589–1623). Fetti produced several versions of this subject, the closest to this engraving being “Tobias Healing his Father” (1620–23), held in the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. See: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Domenico_Fetti_-_Tobias_Healing_his_Father_-_WGA7864.jpg.
This impression, inscribed with the plate number “76,” is likely a lifetime impression published by Monaco in Venice, as indicated in the plate, from the 1763 edition.

The impression is strong and well-printed. The sheet is in good condition, free of tears, holes, folds or significant stains, though there is fine surface dotting on the left side of the image.

Dimensions:

• Sheet: 40.5 x 55.7 cm

• Platemark: 36.2 x 51.1 cm

• Outer image borderline: 35.7 x 50.5 cm

Plate lettering below the image along the lower edge:

• Centre: “IL GIOVANE TOBIA CHE RENDE LA VISTA AL VECCHIO PADRE./ Tunc sumens Tobias de felle piscis, linivit oculos patris sui. Tob. cap. XI. v. 13./ PITTURA DI DOMENICO FETTI, POSSEDUTA DALLA NOBIL FAMIGLIA GIOVANELLI, A S. AGOSTINO./ Pietro Monaco del: sco: e forma in Venezia”

• Right: “76.”

References:

• Apolloni 76 (Davide Apolloni, “Pietro Monaco e la Raccolta di Venti Dodici Stampe di Pitture della Storia Sacra,” 2000, Monfalcone, Edizioni della Laguna, p. 268, cat. no. 76)

• LeBlanc 188 (Charles Le Blanc, “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”, 1856, vol. 3, p. 38, cat. no. 188). See https://archive.org/details/manueldelamateur03lebl/page/38/mode/2up

• Nagler 2 (G.K. Nagler, “Neues allgemeines Künstler-Lexicon oder Nachrichten von dem Leben und den Werken der Maler, Bildhauer, Kupferstecher, Formschneider, Lithographen”, 1840, Munich, EA Fleischmann, vol. 9, p. 387, cat. no. 2)

• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0520-763

• Metropolitan Museum of Art: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/762904

Price & Shipping:

AU$316 (approx. US$217.99 / €184.38 / £159.75), including worldwide express shipping. Please note that import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in acquiring this large and beautifully light-filled etching by Monarco, please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I’m happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth and safe transaction.

Anton Joseph Prenner’s etching, “The Parable of the Pearl”, 1728, after Domenico Fetti

Anton Joseph Prenner (aka Antonio de Brenner) (1683–1761)

“The Parable of the Pearl”, 1728, after the design by Domenico Fetti (aka Domenico Feti) (1589–1623) (see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Werkstatt_des_Domenico_Fetti_%E2%80%94_Gleichnis_von_der_k%C3%B6stlichen_Perle.jpg) from a series of etchings, “Theatrum Artis Pictoriae”, reproducing the paintings of the Imperial collection in Belvedere, Vienna (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1850-1021-84-).

Note that the series is printed with separately printed border-frames as this impression may also have been before it was trimmed. See a copy framed with the printed border offered by the British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1850-1021-112.

For those unfamiliar with the Parable of the Pearl, my understanding of verses 45 and 46 from chapter 13 of “The Gospel of Matthew” in the “New Testament” (Christian Bible) proposes that a good Christian in search of the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of the finest of pearls, in that when the merchant finds the most beautiful of all pearls he will give all that he possesses to have it. (Matthew 13:45-46 [NIV]): “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”)

Etching with engraving on laid paper trimmed around the image borderline with narrow margins on the sides and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 21.7 x 15.3 cm.

Condition: a well-printed impression trimmed around the image borderline on the upper and lower edges with narrow margins on the sides. Beyond restored small abrasions, the sheet is in a good condition with no significant stains or foxing and is laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wider margins.

I am selling this superb etching showing merchants examining pearls in an allegory about earnest Christians searching for the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 13:45-46) with a labourer in the foreground absently pushing a very doggy-looking wheelbarrow towards a woman who is possibly selling ducks on the right, for AU$277 (currently US$185.15/EUR167.52/GBP147.47 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 marvellous print that to my eyes has the grandeur of a Tiepolo filled with light, space and air—note, for example, how the artist has contrasted the boldly shadowed figure holding the wheelbarrow with the animated pattern of lights and darks portraying the pearl merchants further back and how the intimate interactions of the figures are reduced to visual noise by the monumental scale of the arches above, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.