Carlo Maratti’s etching, “The Birth of the Virgin”, c1652

Carlo Maratti (aka Carlo Maratta) (1625–1713)

“The Birth of the Virgin” (aka “La Nativité de la Ste. Vierge”), c1652 (1645–1660).

Note: Paolo Bellini (1987) in TIB (vol. 47, Part 1, [Commentary]) describes nine different copies of this print (TIB 4703.001 C1–.001 C9; pp. 24–25), but this impression is an original lifetime impression by the hand of Carlo Maratti. Bellini (1987) also advises that the Kupferstichkabinett in Berlin has a preparatory drawing for the crouching woman in the right foreground (inv. Kdz 15221) and there is another drawing of the same subject in the same direction as the print in the Kunstmuseum, Düsseldorf (inv. FP 8997) (loc. cit.). Regarding related drawings, the British Museum has a drawing by a follower of Maratti described as a “brush drawing in brown wash, heightened with white, on brown oiled paper” on paper with the verso side showing what appears to be “household accounts, apparently dated 31 December 1700, turned upside down” (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1946-0713-1284).

Etching printed in grey ink on laid paper, watermarked "Flower in a Circle" (right of centre), trimmed around the platemark with a narrow margin and backed with a support sheet. The dealer from whom I purchased this etching advised me that it was formerly in the collection of Caironi ( Lugt 426)—I assume that there must be collector’s mark verso that is hidden by the support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 22.2 x 15 cm; (plate) 21.7 x 14.7 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (lower right) “'Carolus Maratus inuen. et fecit Romæ”.

Lifetime impression of state ii (of ii) with the inscribed publication details.

TIB 47(21).001 S2 (89) (Paolo Bellini, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 47, New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 1 [89], p.11 & vol. 47, Part 1 [Commentary], New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. [4703].001 S2, p. 24), Bellini 6.II (Paolo Bellini 1977, “L'Opera Incisa di Carlo Maratti”, Pavia); Bartsch XXI.89.1.

The British Museum offers a description of this print: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-10-5.

Condition: a very good lifetime impression printed in grey ink showing no sign of wear to the printing plate, trimmed with a narrow margin around the platemark and laid upon a support sheet of fine archival/millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent (museum quality) condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb lifetime impression of great rarity, designed and executed by (according to the BM) the “leading Roman painter of his day” and “the last exponent of the great classical tradition of Roman painting that had originated with Raphael” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG37145), for AU$490 (currently US$382.10/EUR316.41/GBP273.13 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 marvellous example of the High Baroque Classicism, 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

Claude Donat Jardinier’s engraving, “La Vierge Contemplant l'Enfant Jésus Endormi dans sa Crèche”, c.1753, after Carlo Maratti

Claude Donat Jardinier (1726–1774)

“La Vierge Contemplant l'Enfant Jésus Endormi dans sa Crèche” (The Virgin Contemplating the Sleeping Baby Jesus in the Manger], 1753, after the intermediary draughtsman, Charles François Hutin (aka Charles François Huttin) (1715–1776), after the painting “Die Heilige Nacht” (The Holy Night) in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (Gal.-Nr. 436), c.1656, by Carlo Maratti (aka Carlo Maratta) (1625–1713), plate number 44 in the series of 100 prints, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus célèbres tableaux de la Galerie Royale de Dresde” (aka “The Dresden Gallery”). This engraving is part of the first volume of 50 prints published in 1753. Volume 2, with an additional 50 prints, was published in 1757. Note that here is also a supplementary set of 50 prints—mainly landscapes—published c.1795 (see the Curator of the British Museum’s account of the publication details, BM no. 1855,0609.1251).

Engraving and etching on heavy laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 47.8 x 32.8 cm; (plate) 45.2 x 30.4 cm; (image borderline) 37.2 x 28.4 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “C.Hutin del.”; (left of centre in three lines of Italian text) “Qvadro di Carlo Maratti /cavato dalla Galleria Reale di Dresda/ Alto Pi. 3. O. 6. Largo Pi.2.0.8”; (centre) [coat of arms]; (right of centre in three lines of French text) “Tableau de Charle Marattia/ dela Gallerie Royale de Dresde/ haut 3. Pi. 6. Pouc. Lar. 2. Pi.8. Pouc."; (right) “C.D.Jardinier Sculp./ No. 44.”

IFF 99.II (Bibliothèque Nationale, Départment des Estampes 1939–, “Inventaire du Fonds Français: Graveurs du XVIIe siècle”, Paris,Bibliothèque Nationale de France); Le Blanc 1.

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The Nativity, with the Virgin holding the Child while three heads of angels watch, after the painting by Carlo Maratti.”

(https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3223846&partId=1&searchText=Claude-Donat+JARDINIER+&page=1)

Condition: excellent (near faultless), well-printed impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with a small margin around the plate mark, laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet has minor dust accentuation of the plate mark otherwise the sheet is in a very good condition (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this fine example of late Baroque Roman Classicism—note how the baby Jesus is portrayed as emanating divine light to illuminate the scene and how the further back  angelic head is designed to create a reflexive response by secretively peeking at the viewer from behind the Madonna—for AU$330 (currently US$228.44/EUR206.51/GBP175.93 at the time of posting this print) 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 very sensitively treated graphic translation of Maratti’s painting of the Nativity, 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

Carlo Maratti's etching, “The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine”, c.1650

Carlo Maratti (aka Carlo Maratta) (1625–1713)

“The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine”, 1645–1660, an early state (ii of v) still showing tentatively inscribed traces of a child’s leg at lower-left and other exploratory strokes below the incompletely drawn oval borderline.

Note that there are five copies in reverse of this etching by other hands (TIB 4703.010 C1–C5).

Etching on laid paper trimmed along the platemark with thread margins and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.5 x 13.1 cm; (plate) 17.4 x 12.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the oval image borderline: (left) “Carolus Maratus inue.”; (right) “et fecit Romæ.”

State ii (of v) showing the inscription and “Traces of the marking at lower left of the first state” and the incomplete “the upper right contour of the oval” (TIB 4703.010 S2).

The British Museum holds an impression of state i of this print:

https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1552320&partId=1&searchText=Carlo+Maratti+&page=2

TIB 47(21).10(93) Bellini (Paolo Bellini, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 47, New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 10 [93], p.20 & vol. 47, Part 1 [Commentary], New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 4703,010 S2, p. 33), 1977 2.I (Paolo Bellini 1799, “L'Opera Incisa di Carlo Maratti”, Pavia); Bartsch XXI.93.10.

Condition: a slightly grey early impression trimmed along the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in very good condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this extremely rare and early impression of an etching by an artist that the British Museum describes as “the last exponent of the great classical tradition of Roman painting that had originated with Raphael” (https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=115939) for the total cost of AU$403 (currently US$272.65/EUR247.43/GBP210.80 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 seldom seen etching on the art market, 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