Religion consoles a poor old man

Reference: S10237
Author Giovanni Battista FRANCO
Year: 1550 ca.
Measures: 190 x 190 mm
€775.00

Reference: S10237
Author Giovanni Battista FRANCO
Year: 1550 ca.
Measures: 190 x 190 mm
€775.00

Description

Religion standing at the left consoles a poor seated old man, a round composition.

Etching and engraving, Lettered in lower right 'Batista franco fecit'.

This impression not signed, as is trimmed around the perimeter.

Very good work printed on contemporary laid paper and applied on a support for collection, trimmed on the marginal line, in excellent condition.

Collection mark of Luciana Simonetti (Lugt 3616).

Literature

Bartsch XVI.138.58.

Giovanni Battista FRANCO (Udine 1510 – Venezia 1580)

Battista Franco dei Franchi, also known as Semoleo or Semolei, was engraver, drawer, painter and etcher; he was born and he died in Venice, as recorded on official documents. Franco worked in Rome, Florence and Urbino, where he met and started loving Italian Mannerism. While in Rome, he engraved many subjects from Michelangelo, his favourite artist; according to Vasari, he also engraved a magnificent Giudizio Universale. For sure Franco knew the frescoes of the Vatican, for in many prints we can see the influence of paintings such as Giulio Romano’s Donazione di Costantino. Romano was a real source of inspiration for Franco, for both in Rome and Mantua he worked on his subjects, as it can be seen in the frescoes of the Tè. In 1552 he went back to Venice, where he lived till his death; he worked for the Libreria Marciana (1556) and on the vault of the Golden Staircase in the Palazzo Ducale, before starting the decoration of Villa Foscari. In the decoration of the Villa is once again clear the influence of Michelangelo. He engraved and signed about 100 plates, with the monogram, BF or BFVF (Battista Franco venetiano fecit), whose style is very close to that of Giulio Bonasone. Bartsch lists 93 engravings of this artist, Passavant 98.

Literature

Bartsch XVI.138.58.

Giovanni Battista FRANCO (Udine 1510 – Venezia 1580)

Battista Franco dei Franchi, also known as Semoleo or Semolei, was engraver, drawer, painter and etcher; he was born and he died in Venice, as recorded on official documents. Franco worked in Rome, Florence and Urbino, where he met and started loving Italian Mannerism. While in Rome, he engraved many subjects from Michelangelo, his favourite artist; according to Vasari, he also engraved a magnificent Giudizio Universale. For sure Franco knew the frescoes of the Vatican, for in many prints we can see the influence of paintings such as Giulio Romano’s Donazione di Costantino. Romano was a real source of inspiration for Franco, for both in Rome and Mantua he worked on his subjects, as it can be seen in the frescoes of the Tè. In 1552 he went back to Venice, where he lived till his death; he worked for the Libreria Marciana (1556) and on the vault of the Golden Staircase in the Palazzo Ducale, before starting the decoration of Villa Foscari. In the decoration of the Villa is once again clear the influence of Michelangelo. He engraved and signed about 100 plates, with the monogram, BF or BFVF (Battista Franco venetiano fecit), whose style is very close to that of Giulio Bonasone. Bartsch lists 93 engravings of this artist, Passavant 98.