Venus and Cupid
| Reference: | S32503 |
| Author | Agostino De MUSI detto "Agostino Veneziano" |
| Year: | 1530 ca. |
| Measures: | 170 x 237 mm |
€2,500.00
| Reference: | S32503 |
| Author | Agostino De MUSI detto "Agostino Veneziano" |
| Year: | 1530 ca. |
| Measures: | 170 x 237 mm |
€2,500.00
Description
Venus sits on the edge of a rocky outcrop; with her left hand she grasps the face of Love, who holds a lighted flashlight in both hands.
Engraving, c. 1530-32, lacking signature and printing details.
The work is believed by Bartsch to be the creation of Giulio Pippi de' Jannuzzi, known as Giulio Romano (1492-1546), engraved by Agostino Veneziano; Armano, however, indicates Raimondi as the engraver of the plate. It dates from Agostino's Mantua period, where he was inspired by Giulio Romano's subjects.
Agostino de Musi, known as Agostino Veneziano, was born in the Veneto, possibly in Venice, around 1490, a period set approximately by scholars based on the earliest dates engraved on some prints. He went to Rome in 1515/16, where he entered into a relationship with Marcantonio Raimondi, becoming, along with Marco Dente, one of his principal pupil and later collaborators in the Raimondi “firm,” the first real artistic-commercial enterprise engaged in the reproduction of Raphaelesque subjects. A period, until 1520, of intense activity in Marcantonio's workshop was probably followed by more difficult years due to Raphael's death in 1520 and the imprisonment of Raimondi himself around 1523-24 for engraving some lascivious subjects.
The Sack of Rome in 1527 prompted De Musi to leave the city, heading for Mantua, attracted by Giulio Romano. The collaboration with Giulio coincided with a period characterized by high artistic achievements and intense production, dating from the years 1530-1532. These engravings reveal a particular attention to luministic research, perhaps already present in Giulio Romano's drawings, and often emphasized by the introduction of artificial light sources that make contrasts more evident.
Agostino's engraving production is very large and numerically consistent, especially when compared to the short time span in which it was produced, roughly between 1514 and 1536. To the 139 engravings reported by Bartsch must be added the new 4 cited by Passavant and the 8 reported by Heinecken: these are all signed or monogrammed engravingss, sometimes consisting of normal letters, sometimes of Gothic characters; to these works must also be added a group of about 60 anonymous enrgavings of probable or doubtful attribution.
Magnificent proof, richly toned, printed on contemporary laid paper, trimmed at marginal line, in excellent condition.
Two collection marks on verso: one from the Johann Melchior von Birckenstock collection (Lugt 345), and another unreadable.
Bibliografia
Le Blanc C., Manuel De L'amateur D'estampes, 44, V 0003 p 00075, 1854-59; AAVV, The Illustrated Bartsch, 318, V 0026 p 00320, 1978-1983; Donata Minonzio, DE MUSI (Di Musi, De Musis, Musi), Agostino, detto Agostino Veneziano in “Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani” - Volume 38 (1990).
Agostino De MUSI detto "Agostino Veneziano" (Venezia 1490 circa - Roma dopo il 1536)
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Agostino de Musi, known as Agostino Veneziano, was born in the Veneto, perhaps in Venice, around 1490, a period roughly fixed by scholars on the basis of the earliest dates engraved on some prints: 1516 in Jesus Descends to Limbo (Le Blanc, III, no. 19), 1514 in The Astrologer [Bartsch, XIV, no. 411) and The Last Supper (B., no. 25). Very little, fragmentary and imprecise information has come down to us about De Musi; today the only data for reconstructing, even if roughly, a biography of De Musi are those obtained from his engravings, which generally marked his prints with the monogram “A. V.” (Agostino Veneziano), inherent to his name and place of birth, Veneto. Until 1515 De Musi remained in the Veneto, perhaps in Venice, where he received his early artistic training, taking G. Campagnola and A. Dürer as models. In 1515 he moved to Florence, according to what is documented by four engravings bearing this date and derived from subjects by Baccio Bandinelli (Diogenes, B. 197, Man Seated by a Book, B. 454, Apollo and Daphne, B. 317, Cleopatra, B. 193). His Florentine sojourn must have been brief, perhaps only a stage in a journey undertaken to Rome, where he entered into a relationship with Marcantonio Raimondi, becoming, along with Marco Dente, one of his principal standard bearers and later collaborators in the Raimondi “firm,” the first real artistic-commercial enterprise engaged in the reproduction of Raphaelesque subjects. A period, until 1520, of intense activity in Marcantonio's workshop was probably followed by more difficult years due to Raphael's death in 1520 and the imprisonment of Raimondi himself around 1523-24 for engraving some lascivious subjects. The engravings reveal only a certain slowdown in production and sometimes a decline in quality. The sack of Rome in 1527 prompted De Musi to leave the city, heading for Mantua, attracted by Giulio Romano. Thereafter De Musi probably returned to Rome, where his last activity seems to have taken place, but it is difficult to establish exactly the year of this move. The last date that appears on his works is 1536, and between 1536 and 1540 his death is generally fixed. De Musi's engraving production is very large and numerically consistent, especially when compared to the short time span in which it was produced, roughly between 1514 and 1536. To the 139 engravings reported by Bartsch must be added the new 4 quoted by Passavant and the 8 reported by Heinecken: these are all engravings signed or marked by the monogram, sometimes consisting of normal letters, sometimes of Gothic characters; to these works must also be added a group of about 60 anonymous engravings of probable or doubtful attribution and 52 plates and the frontispiece of the volume Inlustrium virorum ut extant in Urbe..., Rome 1569.
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Agostino De MUSI detto "Agostino Veneziano" (Venezia 1490 circa - Roma dopo il 1536)
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Agostino de Musi, known as Agostino Veneziano, was born in the Veneto, perhaps in Venice, around 1490, a period roughly fixed by scholars on the basis of the earliest dates engraved on some prints: 1516 in Jesus Descends to Limbo (Le Blanc, III, no. 19), 1514 in The Astrologer [Bartsch, XIV, no. 411) and The Last Supper (B., no. 25). Very little, fragmentary and imprecise information has come down to us about De Musi; today the only data for reconstructing, even if roughly, a biography of De Musi are those obtained from his engravings, which generally marked his prints with the monogram “A. V.” (Agostino Veneziano), inherent to his name and place of birth, Veneto. Until 1515 De Musi remained in the Veneto, perhaps in Venice, where he received his early artistic training, taking G. Campagnola and A. Dürer as models. In 1515 he moved to Florence, according to what is documented by four engravings bearing this date and derived from subjects by Baccio Bandinelli (Diogenes, B. 197, Man Seated by a Book, B. 454, Apollo and Daphne, B. 317, Cleopatra, B. 193). His Florentine sojourn must have been brief, perhaps only a stage in a journey undertaken to Rome, where he entered into a relationship with Marcantonio Raimondi, becoming, along with Marco Dente, one of his principal standard bearers and later collaborators in the Raimondi “firm,” the first real artistic-commercial enterprise engaged in the reproduction of Raphaelesque subjects. A period, until 1520, of intense activity in Marcantonio's workshop was probably followed by more difficult years due to Raphael's death in 1520 and the imprisonment of Raimondi himself around 1523-24 for engraving some lascivious subjects. The engravings reveal only a certain slowdown in production and sometimes a decline in quality. The sack of Rome in 1527 prompted De Musi to leave the city, heading for Mantua, attracted by Giulio Romano. Thereafter De Musi probably returned to Rome, where his last activity seems to have taken place, but it is difficult to establish exactly the year of this move. The last date that appears on his works is 1536, and between 1536 and 1540 his death is generally fixed. De Musi's engraving production is very large and numerically consistent, especially when compared to the short time span in which it was produced, roughly between 1514 and 1536. To the 139 engravings reported by Bartsch must be added the new 4 quoted by Passavant and the 8 reported by Heinecken: these are all engravings signed or marked by the monogram, sometimes consisting of normal letters, sometimes of Gothic characters; to these works must also be added a group of about 60 anonymous engravings of probable or doubtful attribution and 52 plates and the frontispiece of the volume Inlustrium virorum ut extant in Urbe..., Rome 1569.
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