Adoration of the Shepherds

Reference: S39862
Author Marcantonio RAIMONDI
Year: 1504 ca.
Measures: 275 x 373 mm
€5,500.00

Reference: S39862
Author Marcantonio RAIMONDI
Year: 1504 ca.
Measures: 275 x 373 mm
€5,500.00

Description

Engraving, 1504 circa, signed with monogram 'MAF' on the end of the pillow Christ rests on. First state.

Good example, printed on contemporary laid paper, with “foolscap” watermark, trimmed close to platemark, a restoration in the upper right corner, otherwise in good condition.

Shoemacker, The engravings of Marcantonio Raimondi, p. 52, n. 1: “[…]The “Adoration of Shepherds”, acknowleged to be one of the Marcantonio’s earliest engravings, includes several motifs borrowed from Francia’s “Adoration of Shepherds” altarpiece of 1499 (Bologna, Pinacoteca); he took over the figure of the Virgin, the central tree, and the broken arch in the background. The mannered gesture of the shepherd leaning on his staff may also be borrowed from a figure in Francia's Nativity (Bologna, Pinacoteca). Folds has suggested that the shepherd crouched in the lefthand corner of the engraving was based upon an ancient model, noting also that the figure displays an early attempt on Marcantonio's part to render the sculptural qualities of an ancient nude. Although no sources are known for the other figures, the additive character of the composition makes it easy to imagine that Marcantonio created it piecemeal by combining figures from paintings and drawings that came from Francia's workshop.

The figures fill the width of the foreground plane, and the background opens into a vast distance that is connected with the foreground in only rudimentary fashion. One senses again the piecemeal approach of the artist, who seems to have borrowed the central group of trees and distant towers from the background of one of Dürer's prints. Marcantonio clearly had trouble integrating the landscape with the ruined arch in the middleground. The hills and tree seen through the arch seem much nearer than the generalized mountains to the left of the pilasters. In an effort to fill an empty space Marcantonio even tilted the small fir tree beneath the arch.

Marcantonio’s engraving technique is fairly delicate in the “Adoration of the Shepherds”, and there are few strong contrasts of light and dark. He outlined the forms with fine contour lines and used closely-spaced parallel strokes for shading. The shading technique flattens the forms because the lines are straight rather than curving. Yet the rounded areas of light on the arms and legs of the figures, which Marcantonio created by limiting the lengths of the shading lines, indicate that he intended to suggest volume. To do this, Marcantonio disciplined and simplified his technique, a method that in slightly later prints like the “Pyramus and Thisbe” is more effective because of his more accom- plished figure style.”

Literature

Bartsch, XIV, 17, 16; Passavant VI, 12, 8; Shoemaker , 1981, p. 52 n. 1; Bologna e l’Umanesimo, p. 110 n. II; Delaborde, 7.

Marcantonio RAIMONDI (Sant'Andrea in Argine 1480 circa - Bologna 1534)

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 of 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.

Literature

Bartsch, XIV, 17, 16; Passavant VI, 12, 8; Shoemaker , 1981, p. 52 n. 1; Bologna e l’Umanesimo, p. 110 n. II; Delaborde, 7.

Marcantonio RAIMONDI (Sant'Andrea in Argine 1480 circa - Bologna 1534)

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 of 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.