The Mystic Marriage of St. Catherine

Etching, 1650 approximately, signed on lower left plate.

Example in the second state of five, with the signature of the artist and before the signs of the Child’s leg, on lower left, were removed.

Beautiful work, printed on contemporary laid paper, with “star in circle with cross” watermark, with thin margins, signs of colour on lower right, otherwise in excellent condition.

Maratti, a pupil of Andrea Sacchi, moved to Rome in 1650. His favourite subjects were those connected with the Virgin, to whom he was a votary, as Pascoli said. For that reason he was named Carluccio delle Madonne. His graphic production has been realized at the very beginning of his career, during the years he spent in the workshop of Sacchi, and before 1660. All his engravings have exist in more than one state: usually the first state is always without the artist’s signature, and therefore quite rare. We could then assume that the first examples were nothing but a proof, printed to be approved by the author, who afterwards printed also his name as a sign of consent.