Procession to the Quirinale for the entrance of the Imperial Ambassador Antonio Floriano of Liechtenstein

Etching, 1692, signed by Gomar Wouters for the publisher Domenico de Rossi. It depicts the celebration held on July 15, 1692.

Lettered at bottom left: "G.Wouters Cavalier delin. Et Sculp. /PROSPETTO DEL PALAZZO PONTIFICIO NEL QUIRINALE DETTO MONTE CAVALLO/Con la solenne comparsa delle sontuose Carrozze dell'Ecc. mo Signor Principe Antonio Floriano de Liechtenstein, Principe del sacro Romano Imperio, Duca di Tropau, e Jagern/dorff, Conte di Ridberg, Signore ereditario in Rumburg, Cavaliere della Chiave d'Oro di sua Maestà Cesarea, e suo Ambasciatore alla sede Apostolica. / data in luce da Domenico de Rossi Erede di Gio. Giac.o de Rossi dalle sue Stampe in Roma alla Pace con Privil.o del Som. Pont. E lice.a de Sup. il di 15.Luglio 1692."; followed by a key-legend.

This engraving shows the procession accompanying Antonio Floriano, Prince of Liechtenstein, the new ambassador of His Majesty Leopold I of Habsburg to the Church of Rome; the nobleman is about to be received at the Quirinale Palace in the presence of Pope Innocent XII. Relations between the Habsburg emperor and Pignatelli had been very cordial since the time when the future Innocent XII had spent a period in Vienna in the years 1668-1671, as apostolic nuncio, therefore, as soon as he received news of the election of the new pontiff, the emperor, without even waiting for the official confirmation of the election, had wanted to immediately send a message of congratulations delivered to the new pontiff by his ambassador in Rome (von Pastor, vol. XIV, part II, p. 485). The print provides a highly detailed illustration of the procession accompanying the illustrious figure: particular emphasis is placed on the reproduction of the carriages designed by Antonio Creccolini (Rome 1671-ca. 1725), which resemble those that had been part of the procession in honor of Lord Castelmaine, but which clearly demonstrate the transition from redundant Baroque decoration to a more linear style of French origin (see Simonetta Tozzi in Il Museo di Roma racconta la città, p. 99).

Gomar [Gommarus] Wouters was a painter and engraver, born in Antwerp. From 1674 until his death, he lived in Rome as a collaborator of Vanvitelli. He contributed to the publications of the Dutch engineer and scientist Cornelis Meyer. In 1680, he was recorded as living in Strada della Croce, dal Corso, with Abraham Genoels and Jacob van Staverden. In 1692, he was still there with four other Dutchmen. In 1694, he was recorded as living at Via Margutta no. 89, with fellow Italians Pietro Fuolityser and Marco Vacche.

A magnificent work, rich in tone, printed on contemporary laid paper, with small margins and traces of paper folds, otherwise in perfect condition. Rare.

Bibliografia

Fagiolo dell'Arco-Carandini 1977-1978, fig.426; Fagiolo dell'Arco 1997, pp. 563-564; Simonetta Tozzi in Il Museo di Roma racconta la città, p. 99.