Diana Scultori, “The Birth of John the Baptist”, c.1580, after Giulio Romano

Diana Scultori (aka Diana Ghisi; Diana Mantovana) (1536–1598)

Note that the Curator of the British Museum advises: “The authorship of this print is highly contested. S. Massari considers it to have been done by Diana, while P. Bellini considers it to be a dubious attribution. Other scholars have suggested that it was made by C. Cort. See Paolo Bellini, ‘L'opera incisa Adamo e Diana Scultori’, Vicenza, 1991, pp. 266-68” (BM inv. no. V,8.2).

“The Birth of John the Baptist” (TIB title) (aka “La Naissance de St. Jean Baptiste”; “Geboorte van Johannes de Doper”), c.1580, after a drawing by Giulio Romano (aka Giulio Giannuzzi; Giulio Pippi) (c.1499–1546), published in Rome in c.1580 (between 1547–1612).

Engraving on laid paper, trimmed around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 41 x 36.5cm.

TIB 31.26 (Suzanne Boorsch & John Spike [eds.] 1986, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Artists of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 31, New York, Abaris Books, p. 266, cat. no. 26).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “In the background on the right, Elizabeth lies in childbirth and is embraced by one of the women who visit her. Angels hold up the canopy of her bed. In the front left, a group of women are giving the child a bath. From a window in the back wall of the room, God the Father watches the events” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.98903).

Diana Scultori is an exceptionally important female figure in the Renaissance and her significance is underlined by being the first woman to obtain the privilege (copyright) to sell her artworks under her own name. Interestingly Scultori changed her name according to the power politics at play at the time with the intention of attracting influential patrons. In short, Scultori’s skill as an engraver, her strategic and flexible use of her identity and having a tight rein on copyright—from memory (and I may be wrong about this) I believe that Scultori even placed the first copyright on a cap design! (albeit a nightcap for men that was decorated with a scene of Delft)—make her a true milestone figure in the history of art.

Condition: a strong and early impression (possibly lifetime impression based on the quality of the line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate) trimmed around the image borderline (following the curve of the upper edge) and laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet has darkened (or possibly the paper is grey) with many small restorations for fractures, tears and losses, but there are no significant stains.

I am selling this major engraving by one of the most important female artists of the Renaissance period, for the total cost of AU$356 (currently US$235.19/EUR217.71/GBP181.44 at the time of 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$356) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this large engraving by arguably one of the savviest business women in the arts during the Renaissance, 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

Diana Scultori’s engraving, “Marcia de Cavaleri”, 1575, after Giulio Romano

Diana Scultori (aka Diana Scultori; Diana Mantuana; Diana Mantovana; Diana Ghisi) (1547–1612)

“Marcia de Cavaleri”, 1575 (see publication details below), after a stucco frieze (erroneously described by A Zanetti [1837] in “Le Premier Siècle de la Calcographie” as a fresco) in the Palazzo del Tè at Mantua and drawings by Giulio Romano (1499–1546) now lost apart from two drawings (including the composition of this engraving) preserved in the Louvre (inv. 3555), showing the triumphal entry of the Emperor Sigismund into Mantua. Initially published as an engraved frieze incorporating three sheets with a total size of 17 x 99 cm, but in the final state (shown here) the middle section has been extracted and published by Carlo Losi (fl.1757–1805) in Rome in 1773 (as inscribed on the plate).

Note that Antoine Bouzonnet-Stella (1637–1682) made a copy of this composition (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1860-0114-70) as well as Pietro Santi Bartoli (1635–1700) and Antonio Tempesta (1555–1630).

Engraving on laid paper backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet trimmed unevenly) 21 x 37.5 cm; (plate) 17.3 x 32.5 cm.

Inscribed on plate along lower edge: (left) “In Roma presso Carlo Losi 1773”; (left of centre) “All’ Illmo Sigr. Scipione Gonzagga/ Diana Mantouana”

State iv (of iv) with the publication details of Carlo Losi.

Bellini 24 VI (Paolo Bellini 199, “L’Opera Incisa Adamo e Diana Scultori”, Venice, Neri Pozza Editore, pp. 205–207, cat. no. 24).

Condition: richly inked, strong impression laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. Apart from a few nicks to the margin edges and minor signs of handling, the sheet is in an excellent condition with no holes, folds, holes, losses, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this strong engraving by an equally strong and remarkably interesting Renaissance female artist who (from my fading memory and I apologise in advance if I am wrong …) was the first artist to copyright the adding of pictures to caps—admittedly the caps were really sleeping bonnets with a printed view of Delft sown on—and was so driven to succeed in a man's world that she has a string of alternative names as she changed her family name to fit with those in power at the time and was ruthless with those who got in her way, for AU$280 (currently US$200.56/EUR170.24/GBP153.07 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 superb 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

Diana Scultori’s engraving, “The Continence of Scipio”, 1575–88

Diana Scultori (aka Diana Ghisi; Diana Mantovana) (1536–88)

“The Continence of Scipio” (aka “Scipio Returns his Wife to Hallucio”; “Scipion l'Africain faisant rendre à son mari une femme captive” [Scipio the African making captive wife return to her husband]), 1575–88 (the attribution of these dates is based on the time when Scultori first began to sign her name “Diana”), arguably after Giulio Romano’s (aka Giulio Giannuzzi; Giulio Pippi) (1499–1546) modello chalk drawing in the Städelsches Kunstinstitut (https://sammlung.staedelmuseum.de/en/work/die-enthaltsamkeit-des-scipio) and preparatory ink drawing in the Biblioteca Ambrosiana (https://collections.library.nd.edu/2d498adc70/inventory-catalog-of-the-drawings-in-the-biblioteca-ambrosiana/items/a57ba979ae) for the fresco of a medallion in the Sala di Cesare, Palazzo del Te, Mantua.

Note: Paolo Bellini (1991) in "L'opera incisa di Adamo e Diana Scultori" argues that the two drawings by Romano cited above could not be studies underpinning the design of Scultori's engraving as there are details shown in the print that match those in the painting but they are not found in the drawings (see page 172).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a thread margin around the image borderline.

Size: (sheet) 20.3 x 25.1 cm; (image borderline) 20.1 x 25 cm.

Inscribed on plate: (on cartouche at lower left) “LIBERALITATIS ET / CONTINENTIAE / EXEMPLVM”; (on entablature at upper centre) “DIA/ NA”; (on cornice at upper right) “IVLIVS RO INVE”.

State ii (of ii) with the addition of the inscription to the cartouche at lower left.

TIB 31 (15). 33 (446) (Suzanne Boorsch & John Spike [Eds.] 1986, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Artists of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 31, New York, Abaris Books, p. 273); Bartsch XV.446.33; Bellini 1991 8.11 (Paolo Bellini 1991, "L'opera incisa di Adamo e Diana Scultori", Milan, Neri Pozza Editore, pp 171–74).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The continence of Scipio who is seated at the left, before him kneels and imploring male figures accompanied by many soldiers, after Giulio Romano”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1863-0725-1753; see also https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-8-20).

This engraving illustrates the passage from Titus Livius’ (Livy), “The History of Rome”, Book 26, chapter 26, versus 1–8, in which the Roman Proconsul, Scipio Africanus—the male figure with his back to us on the Curule seat—curtails his lust for the extraordinarily beautiful slave girl on the left after hearing that she was betrothed to “a leading man of the Celtiberians”, Allucis—the figure kneeling—and gives his consent to their marriage to the surprise and acclaim of guests: “I favour what is in my power—your love”.

Condition: strong impression trimmed with a narrow margin around the image borderline in very good condition for the considerable age of the print. The sheet is lightly age-toned and has a few areas with minor staining (e.g. the cartouche at lower left). There are also remnants of mounting and notations in pencil and ink verso.

I am selling this exceptionally rare print by one of the historically significant women printmakers from the Renaissance (arguably the first person to copyright the design for a cap … admittedly a night cap) for AU$415 (currently US$271.15/EUR250.06/GBP218.53 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this Renaissance period 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

Diana Scultori’s engraving, “Horatius Cocles Escaping into the River after Holding off the Enemy”, 1575–88

Diana Scultori (aka Diana Ghisi; Diana Mantovana) (1536–88)

“Horatius Cocles Escaping into the River after Holding off the Enemy”, 1575–88 (the attribution of these dates is based on the time when Scultori first began to sign her name “Diana”), after Giulio Romano’s (1499–1546) design for the Sala di Attilio Regolo, Casino della Grotta, Palazzo Te, Mantua. (See Paolo Bellini 1991, ‘L'opera incisa Adamo e Diana Scultori”, Vicenza, 1991, pp. 163-5.)

Engraving on laid paper trimmed along the platemark, first state (lifetime) impression.

Size: (sheet) 24.6 x 27.3 cm; (image borderline) 24.3 x 27 cm

Lettered with the artist’s name on the pillar of the bridge at lower left: “DIANA”

State i (of ii) before the addition of publisher’s address at lower right.

TIB 31 (15). 34 (447) (Walter L Strauss, Suzanne Boorsch & John Spike [Eds.] 1986, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 31, Abaris Books, New York, p. 274); Bartsch XV.447.34; Bellini 1991 2.I

The British Museum has copies of both the first and second state of this print; see state i: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1494977&partId=1&searchText=Diana+Scultori&page=1; and state ii: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1494972&partId=1&searchText=1874,0808.320&page=1

Condition: near faultless lifetime impression trimmed along the plate mark. There are many notations by previous collectors (verso).

I am selling this exceptionally rare print by one of the historically significant women printmakers from the Renaissance (arguably the first person to copyright the design for a cap … admittedly a night cap) for AU$456 (currently US$340.96/EUR304.61/GBP265.37 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this lifetime impression in pristine condition of major print from the Renaissance era executed by one of the very few famous women printmakers of the time (and the first to have permission/”privilege” to sell her work under her own name), 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

If I were to compile a list of women artists from the Renaissance era, the name, Diana Scultori, would be at the top.

Arguably, Scultori’s most significant achievement is that she was the FIRST woman to be permitted to sell her work using her own name. Today the idea that artists sought permission to sell their work may seem odd. At the time, however, artists applied to the papal bureaucracy for such a “privilege” (i.e. copyright protection) to ensure that their designs were legally authorised and that other artists were not allowed to copy their work. Indeed, the penalty for any transgression of an artist’s privilege was harsh: “excommunication, a fine of 50 gold ducats, and seizure of all the contraband material” (see Evelyn Lincoln 2000, “The Invention of the Italian Printmaker”, Yale University Press, New Haven, pp. 123-4).

In terms of Scultori’s business acumen, Diana was very shrewd, in the sense that she changed her name according to who was in power and would benefit her career. For example, the name “Diana Ghisi” was adopted by Diana as the surname, “Ghisi”, linked her to the famous Mantuan engraver, Giorgio Ghisi—a misrepresentation of name that even the august Bartsch catalogue raisonné has failed to correct. Indeed, there are no documents from Diana’s lifetime where she ever uses her true surname, as the name “Scultori” was not useful in the marketplace.

As another example of shrewd business practices, Dana choice of portrayed subject matter and the inscribed dedications on some of her plates were clearly designed to advance her career. For instance, her first published engraving, “Volute of a Composite Capital”, 1576, features not only a subject that would have appealed to her patron— Lord Claudio Gonzaga, the chief supervisor of the Mantuan court— because he wrote a book on the topic and that the print was larger than any other engraving of such a subject at the time, but the tone of the inscription is so unambiguously ingratiating:

“To the most illustrious Lord Claudio Gonzaga, Diana Mantuana. It is fitting that this labour of mine, having come to life under the rule of your most excellent house, receives new life under your lordship’s name, because now it enters the world favoured by you with the most ample privilege of the sanctity of Our Lord. Accept this then with a kind heart, and with it the service of my house in Rome …”