Adorazione dei Pastori

Bulino, 1540, privo di firma ed indicazioni editoriali.

La composizione deriva da un disegno del Parmigianino [Chatsworth, the Devonshire Collection (Popham, 1, p. 212, n. 732)].

Ottima prova, impressa su carta vergata coeva con filigrana “cerchio con giglio”, rifilata al rame, in perfetto stato di conservazione.

L’incisione, anonima, sconosciuta al Bartsch è attribuita a Enea Vico da Phyllis Deaborn Massar, sulla base delle indubbie affinità stilistiche:

“This note is in the form of a query. While inventorying the 275 prints in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Mariette Album of prints by or after Parmigianino (inv. no. 27.78.2) I found three prints, so far unattributed, which I thought might be by Enea Vico (1520-70). I present my arguments here with the hope that some more expert eye than mine may be able to support my attributions or suggest more plausible ones. […] The Adoration of the Shepherds (27.78.2.6), 265 × 220 mm (sheet), engraving. The key to the author of this print may lie in an unrecorded signed print by Enea Vico in the British Museum, A Seated Woman Looking in a Mirror (W. 2-118*; fig. 161) 132 x 90 mm (trimmed to borderline) engraving and etching, signed on the tablet: 1543 /AEV, and inscribed FRANC. PARM. IN.. The Seated Woman print is directly comparable to the unattributed A Seated Woman and Two Children (Bartsch xv.47.3, TIB 28.47.3, Raimondi School, Fantastic Subjects). The seated pose, the treatment of the coiffure, costume, furniture and back- ground are extremely similar, and also recall numerous motifs in the Adoration. The kneeling figure of the Virgin is similar to the two seated female figures in the other two prints. Also comparable are the profiles and shading of the female protagonists, their draperies, coiffures, costumes and arm positions. The small stones and weeds in the foreground are often found in Vico's prints, as are the striated clouds. A Parmigianino drawing of the Adoration, in the same sense as this print, is in Chatsworth, the Devonshire Collection (Popham, 1, p. 212, no. 732, reproduced, III, pl. 241; see also C. C. Baubach, et al., Correggio and Parmigianino, London 2000, p. 129, cat. no. 83). The Woman with Two Children and the Adoration had been assigned to Girolamo Fagiuoli by Johannes Wilde in his thesis, 'Die Anfange der Italien-ischen Radierung', Vienna 1918 (see Popham, I, p. 14, n. 1), an attribution that I think can be discarded” (cfr. P. Dearborn Massar, Three prints by Enea Vico?, in “Print Quarterly”, p. 282).

Bell’esemplare di questa rarissima incisione.

Bibliografia

P. Dearborn Massar, Three prints by Enea Vico?, in “Print Quarterly”, 2007,3, p. 282, fig. 160 (attributed to Enea Vico).