The Apparition of God to Noah

Reference: S42618
Author Scuola di Marcantonio Raimondi
Year: 1515 ca.
Measures: 245 x 300 mm
Not Available

Reference: S42618
Author Scuola di Marcantonio Raimondi
Year: 1515 ca.
Measures: 245 x 300 mm
Not Available

Description

Engraving, circa 1515/20, from a subject by Raphael.

Wonderful proof, incredibly rich in tones, printed on thin contemporary laid paper with watermark "crown with star in the circle", trimmed at the copperplate, minimal lack of paper in the upper right part compensated by old restoration, for otherwise in excellent condition. 

The engraving reproduces, in counterpart, a work by Marcantonio Raimondi based on a drawing by Raffello, now lost, for the similar subject frescoed between 1511 and 1514 in the vault of the Stanza di Eliodoro in the Vatican.

The Apparition of God to Noah is a fresco (base 390 cm) by Raphael Sanzio, datable to 1511 and part of the decoration of the vault of the Heliodorus Room in the Vatican Museums. The Stanza di Eliodoro was the "secret", i.e. private, antechamber where the Pope met with individual personalities who had come for an audience. The name comes from one of the frescoes on the walls, which are composed of a large lunette, on which is set a cross vault. The unitary theme of the frescoes is that of the miraculous protection granted to the Church, whose faith is threatened. The vault has at its center a medallion with the coat of arms of Pope Julius II, as in the Room of the Signatura, surrounded by monochrome arabesques on a golden background interspersed with fake golden studs. A figured ring develops around it, divided diagonally into four compartments with stories simulating tapestries hung with false nails and rings between the frames. The scenes represented are the Sacrifice of Isaac, the Burning Bush, Jacob's Ladder, the Apparition of God to Noah.

The subject was also engraved, without substantial changes, by Marco Dente. The graphic quality of this exemplar suggests a close interpreter of the school of Raimondi (Agostino Veneziano?). It is not excluded that it could be a replica of the same Marcantonio. 

Wonderful example, with the Guidetti collection stamp on the back (Lugt 3747).

Bibliografia

Bartsch XIV, n.3a; Massari, Raphael Invenit, p. 51, n. 3; The Illustrated Bartsch, v. 26, p. 12.

Scuola di Marcantonio Raimondi

Marcantonio Raimondi is considered the greatest engraver of early Renaissance and the first to spread the work of Raphael. He was born in San’Andrea in Argine, near Bologna. His first artistic apprenticeship took place in Bologna, around 1504, in the workshop of Francesco Francia, painter and goldsmith. His first known engraving is dated 1505. In 1506 he went to Venice to live and work; in this year, he started developing his own personal style for, in his production that period, is quite evident the influence of Mantegna and Dürer. According to Vasari, Raimondi met Dürer in Venice, for they were both living there at the same time, but they had a quarrel over the reproductions, on copper, of Dürer’s seventeen woodcuts of the Vita della Vergine. After 1507, he turned to different models, especially those coming from Rome and Florence. He was in Rome in 1509, where he was introduced into the circle of the most important artists working in the City, such as Jacopo Rimanda from Bologna. In the same year he met Rapahel in the workshop of Baviera; the following year Raimondi became popular as the main interpreter of Raphael’s paintings. The Lucrezia can be considered the starting point of their cooperation and a sort of second beginning for Raimondi’s new style. In any case, together with the engravings representing Raphael’s works, Raimondi went on with the publication of his own subjects, especially antiquity, whose influence can be seen in his whole production (cfr. Dubois-Reymond 1978). Between 1515-1516 Marcantonio started showing a keen interest for chiaroscuro, maybe under the influence fo Agostino Veneziano and Marco Dente, from Baviera’s workshop. Till Raphael’s death, in 1520, Raimondi worked and lived in the background of the great artist from Urbino and engraved his works and those of his scholars. His business went down after the Sacco (sack) Di Roma in 1527, when he was obliged to pay a huge amount of money to the invaders of the City to save his life. He died in Bologna before 1534, in complete misery.

Scuola di Marcantonio Raimondi

Marcantonio Raimondi is considered the greatest engraver of early Renaissance and the first to spread the work of Raphael. He was born in San’Andrea in Argine, near Bologna. His first artistic apprenticeship took place in Bologna, around 1504, in the workshop of Francesco Francia, painter and goldsmith. His first known engraving is dated 1505. In 1506 he went to Venice to live and work; in this year, he started developing his own personal style for, in his production that period, is quite evident the influence of Mantegna and Dürer. According to Vasari, Raimondi met Dürer in Venice, for they were both living there at the same time, but they had a quarrel over the reproductions, on copper, of Dürer’s seventeen woodcuts of the Vita della Vergine. After 1507, he turned to different models, especially those coming from Rome and Florence. He was in Rome in 1509, where he was introduced into the circle of the most important artists working in the City, such as Jacopo Rimanda from Bologna. In the same year he met Rapahel in the workshop of Baviera; the following year Raimondi became popular as the main interpreter of Raphael’s paintings. The Lucrezia can be considered the starting point of their cooperation and a sort of second beginning for Raimondi’s new style. In any case, together with the engravings representing Raphael’s works, Raimondi went on with the publication of his own subjects, especially antiquity, whose influence can be seen in his whole production (cfr. Dubois-Reymond 1978). Between 1515-1516 Marcantonio started showing a keen interest for chiaroscuro, maybe under the influence fo Agostino Veneziano and Marco Dente, from Baviera’s workshop. Till Raphael’s death, in 1520, Raimondi worked and lived in the background of the great artist from Urbino and engraved his works and those of his scholars. His business went down after the Sacco (sack) Di Roma in 1527, when he was obliged to pay a huge amount of money to the invaders of the City to save his life. He died in Bologna before 1534, in complete misery.