Pietro Monaco’s engraving, “The Banquet of Cleopatra”, c1770, after Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Pietro Monaco (1707–1772)

“The Banquet of Cleopatra” (aka “Il Convito di Nabal”; “Nabals Fest”), c1770, from a series of plates reproducing paintings then in the Venetian palazzi, “Raccolta di 112 stampe di pitture della storia sacra” (see BM inv. 1865,0520.773), after the painting (1744) in the collection of the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (aka Giambattista Tiepolo) (1696–1770) (see https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4409/). This impression was published in Venice by Teodoro Viero (1740–1819) (as inscribed in the plate).

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

Size: (sheet) 37.4 x 52.1 cm; (image borderline) 32.1 x 49.4 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “Pietro Monaco del Scol”; (centre) “IL CONVITO DI NABAL/ Venit autem Abigail ad Nabal, et ecce erat ei convivium in domo ejus, quasi convivium regis, et cor Nabal jucundum, erat enim ebrius nimis: et non indicavit ei verbum pusillum, aut grande usque mane. Reg. 1. Cap. XXV. V. 36./ PITTURA DI GIO: BATTĀ: TIEPOLO POSSEDUTA DAL SIG. CO: FRAN.^co ALGAROTTI.”(right) “Appo Teodore Vier[o] in Venezia”.

Interestingly, Charles Le Blanc (1854) does not describe this print in his “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. 3, Paris, pp. 38–39 (see https://archive.org/details/manueldelamateu00blangoog/page/n43/mode/2up).

See the following description of this print offered by the British Museum:

“The Banquet of Cleopatra, set within an architecturally elaborate hall, after Tiepolo

Engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1865-0520-760). 

The National Gallery of Victoria offers the following background account to the scene portrayed in Tiepolo’s painting:

“The story of Mark Antony (83–30 BC) and Cleopatra (69–30 BC) was a popular subject for artists in the 18th century. Both Antony and Cleopatra were powerful leaders. Cleopatra was the seventh and last queen of Egypt who enjoyed a life of refinement and luxury. Mark Antony was the Roman consul whose legendary extravagances included feasts where he would gorge himself on rare foods. The story of their love affair involved romance, war, military splendour, tragedy and death (Gott 2003, p. 102).

The episode represented in Giambattista Tiepolo’s The banquet of Cleopatra was written by the Roman historian Pliny in AD 77. As Gott (2003, p.102) notes, it tells of a famous contest between the Egyptian and Roman rulers. Cleopatra wagered that she could stage a feast more lavish than those of Mark Antony. Tiepolo’s painting shows the dramatic moment at the end of the meal when she removes one of a pair of rare, priceless pearls that she wears as earrings, and drops it in a glass of vinegar and drinks it.

Lucius Plancus, the third figure at the table, was umpiring the wager. He declared Cleopatra the winner of the bet and stopped her destroying the second pearl.

While Tiepolo’s painting is based on a historical story and includes visual references to ancient Egypt and Rome, Tiepolo has painted Cleopatra in contemporary dress.

(https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/school_resource/art-start/image-bank/giambattista-tiepolo/)

Condition: a well-printed strong impression with a small margin around the outer image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There is chipping with losses the borderline (see lower right corner) otherwise this large sheet is in a very good condition with no significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this large and very rare etching—note that the National Gallery of Victoria that holds Tiepolo’s painting does not have a copy of this print (or at least not online)—for the total cost of AU$488 (currently US$356.96/EUR302.42/GBP259,43 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 remarkably beautiful and luminous 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 

Andrea Zucchi's engraving, “Virginity”, c.1710–24, after Giovanni Battista Tiepolo’s drawing after Corradini’s sculpture

Andrea Zucchi (1679–1740)

“Virginity” (aka “Allegory of Chastity”), c.1710–24, after a drawing by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (aka Giambattista Tiepolo) (1696–1770) of the marble sculpture, “Virginity” (1722–23), by Antonio Corradini (1688–1752), located with the altar of the guild of the “Scuola grande dei Carmini” in the Church of Santa Maria dei Carmini (Venice), published with privilege in Venice with dedication by Zucchi to the art collector, Zaccaria Sagredo (1653–1729).

Engraving with etching printed in sepia coloured ink on laid paper with small margins backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 36.2 x 21.9 cm; (plate) 34.7 x 20.7 cm; (outer image borderline) 34.7 x 20.3 cm.

Lettered on plate within the image borderline along the lower edge: (centre) “A sua Ecc. il Sig. ZACCARIA SAGREDO, che con nobiltà, autorità, beneficenza fauorisce e promuoue/ le belle arti, questo simolacro della VIRGINITÀ, scolpito da Antonio Corradini, a ornamento del tempio e altare/ della B.M.V. del Carmine in Venezia, a perpetua memoria di suo umilissimo ossequio, dona e consacra l'intagliatore/ Andrea Zucchi." (To his Exc. Mr. ZACCARIA SAGREDO, who with nobility, authority, charity favours and promotes fine arts, this simolacrum of VIRGINITY, sculpted by Antonio Corradini, to adorn the temple and altar of the BMV of the Carmine in Venice, in perpetual memory of his humble respect, donates and consecrates the engraver Andrea Zucchi.); (left) “Gio: Batt: Tiepolo del.”

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Sopra il ponte de Bareteri, con Priuilegio.”

See the description of this print offered by the bookshop: Libreria Emiliana (Italy):

https://www.maremagnum.com/stampe/la-virginita-scolpita-da-antonio-corradini-venezia-sopra-il/130845814.

See also Matej Klemenčič’s essay that offers insight about this print in “Modern Venetian Sheet Impressions after Contemporary Sculpture: Questions of Form and Function” (pp. 108–09):

https://e-knjige.ff.uni-lj.si/znanstvena-zalozba/catalog/download/183/280/4788-1?inline=1.

Condition: well-printed impression with small margins. There are minor abrasions, tears, stains and losses (e.g. there is a worm-hole above the lower cloud at left and losses to the lower right margin). The sheet is laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this very rare engraving after a drawing by Tiepolo exemplifying this master’s ability to give an aura of grandeur to a portrayed subject—note the low viewpoint and the slightly backward lean to the marble sculpture to give the impression of otherworldly spiritual transcendence—for AU$438 in total (currently US$290.23/EUR268.72/GBP225.31 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 engraving executed with exceptional sensitivity in the glorious Venetian Baroque period style, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

Pietro Monaco's engraving, “The Patron Saints of the Crotta Family”, c1755, after Giovanni Battista Tiepolo

Pietro Monaco (1707–1772)

“The Patron Saints of the Crotta Family” (aka “Canonization from the Crotta family”; “S. Grata Regina, in compagnia de' SS. Fermo, e Rustico, ...” [inscribed title]), c1755, after the painting of the same composition (1750) by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo (aka Giambattista Tiepolo) in the Städel Museum (Frankfurt), plate 74 from the series, “Raccolta di 112 stampe di pitture della storia sacra”, published by Innocente Alessandri (1741–1803) and Pietro Scattaglia (c1739–1810) in Venice c1763.

Note: the Wikipedia entry for Tiepolo’s painting is incorrect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Patron_Saints_of_the_Crotta_Family). The painting held by the Städel Museum is not by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo (the son of Giovanni Battista Tiepolo) but by his father, Giovanni Battista Tiepolo. Perhaps this inaccuracy can be explained by the fact that Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo also made an etching (in reverse) of his father’s painting (c1755-60) (see https://www.dia.org/art/collection/object/patron-saints-crotta-family-63513 & https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/work-of-art/the-patron-saints-of-the-crotta-family)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“St Grata showing the head of St Alexander (one of the soldier-martyrs of the Theban Legion) to her father St Lupo who sits at the left accompanied by his wife Adelaide, after Tiepolo”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3023878&partId=1&searchText=Pietro+Monaco+Grotta&page=1)

The Städel Museum offers the following description of Tiepolo’s portrayed scene in the painting that Monaco translates into engraved line:

“It shows a legendary episode from the history of that patrician dynasty, which had come from – and ruled – Bergamo. When the sovereign’s daughter Grata brings her heathen father the severed head of the martyred St Alexander, from which sweet-smelling flowers have sprouted, he converts to Christianity. Tiepolo stages the incident like a play, with dramatic gestures and luminous colours in a splendid architectural setting.”

(https://sammlung.staedelmuseum.de/en/work/the-patron-saints-of-the-crotta-family)

Engraving with etching on laid paper trimmed along the platemark and backed on a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 35.3 x 50.1 cm.; (image borderline) 32.4 x 50.1 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: “S. GRATA REGINA, IN COMPAGNIA DE' SS. FERMO, E RUSTICO, MOSTRA IL RECISO CAPO DI S. ALESSANDRO M.A SS. LUPO ED ADELAIDE PRINCIPI DI BERGAMO SUOI GENITORI / Aspersus est Sanguis Isaiæ LXIII. 3. Flores apparverunt in terra. Cantic II. 12./ PITTURA DI GIO BATTA: TIEPOLO POSSESUTA DALLA N. F. GROTTA […] Appo Innocente Alessandri e Pietro Scattaglia in Venezia.” (My apologies if there are errors in my recording of this text.)

State iii (of iii) with the erasure of the plate number and addition of publication details.

LeBlanc 56–167 (Charles Le Blanc 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. 3, Paris, p. 38, cat. nos. 56–167).; Rizzi 236.105 iii/iii

See the description of this print at the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.collect.155114

Condition: well-printed impression, trimmed along the platemark with a few abrasions (viz. on the left stairs) and minor restored losses (viz. there is a restored chip in the word “BATTA” on the lower edge); otherwise the sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no significant tears, holes, folds, stains or foxing). The sheet is laid onto a support of millennium quality washi paper.

I am selling this large engraving showing St Grata— supposedly an ancestor of the Crotta family—accompanied by the martyrs Firmus and Rusticus, presenting her parents—Lupo (Duke of Bergamo) and Adelaide—the head of the martyr, Alexander of Bergamo, whose head sprouts flowers rather than blood, for the total cost of AU$453 (currently US$309.15/EUR278.02/GBP241.54 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 engraved masterwork after Tiepolo by one of the major 18^th century printmakers in Venice, 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