The Siege of Orbetello

Unmounted fan-leaf, with a map of a coastline inhabited by armies, their camps, and battle ships; scene framed by foliage and cornucopias; perhaps a plan of Orbitello (Orbetello) on the Porto Ercole.

A dedication line reads, "Dedicata Al Sig. D. Federigo Federici Re: Di Vico" below the image. Formerly attributed to Jacques Callot by Mueme.

A high oblique view of the Spanish-held fortress town of Orbetello, besieged between 12 May and 24 July by the French, commanded by Thomas Francis of Savoy, Prince of Carignano (21 December 1596-22 January 1656), who were eventually obliged to lift the siege after the arrival of a Spanish relief army commanded by Gerolamo Maria Caracciolo, Marqués de Torrecuso, and Rodrigo Ponce de León, 4th Duke of Arcos. Franco-Spanish War (1635-1659). Oriented with west [actually, north-west] to top (compass directions written at the edges of the print).

Devoid of a date, the work was created on the occasion of the famous siege of the city in 1646. The town, part of the Stato dei Presidi, was under Spanish rule. Between May 12 and July 24, 1646 Orbetello suffered a siege by the French army, which was repulsed. It is therefore one of the so-called broadsheets or works that were created to document an event, usually war, and that publishers rushed to print to satisfy popular curiosity.

Some of the literature attributed this panel to the Lorraine artist Jacques Callot (1592-1635) whose style the work undoubtedly follows. However, as Della Monaca rightly argues, "the attribution to Callot is puzzling since the engraver died 11 years before the siege" (p. 244, note 4). De Vesme also rejects the attribution to Stefano della Bella. In terms of graphic style and composition-which echoes similar fan-shaped engravings of the French school such as, for example, those by Nicolas Cochin (1610-1686)-printing period and military subject matter, we believe that the engraving is most likely made and published in Rome by the Frenchman Francois Collignon, author of at least 2 other plates on the siege of Orbetello (see Della Monaca, p. 244, Plate II, Plate VI).

François Collignon (or Louis François, c. 1609 – 18 January 1687) was a French engraver, print-seller and publisher. Collignon was born in Nancy, France. He initially locally trained in the studio of Jacques Callot, in 1626 for four years (see Marot in GBA 85 1975, p.24), in 1631 in Augsburg and in 1634 in Rome. Returned to Paris by 1636, where worked with Israel Henriet on Callot estate, but also for other publishers; Della Bella godfather of his son Etienne baptised in Paris in 1643. Settled in Rome with his French wife in 1646/7, where seems to have worked less as a printmaker, but became major figure as publisher. His early work in Rome was published jointly with Orazio Marinaro. His print shop in Rome was in San Tommaso in Parione alla cantonata del vicolo della posta vecchia del Papa incontro al Toson d'oro. He produced works for artist including Pietro Testa, Cornelis Bloemaert, Pietro da Cortona, Nicolas Poussin, Charles Le Brun, Simon Vouet, and Jean Le Pautre. He died in Rome January 18, 1687. The Flemish publisher and engraver Arnold van Westerhout who lived in Rome at that time bought the stock of François Collignon after his death, for 4.200 scudi.

Magnificent proof, printed on contemporary laid paper, trimmed to copper, in excellent condition. Very rare work, of which we have surveyed 3 institutional specimens (Londra, British Museum [1861,0713.1224]; Milano, Raccolta Bertarelli [Ventole e Ventagli m. 2-3]; Roma, Istituto Nazionale per la Grafica [FC120676]).

Bibliografia

Cappelli-Corti (2000): p. 65, n. 92; Gualtiero Della Monaca, 1646 Orbetello, L’Assedio Memorabile. Storia, personaggi, cartografia, letteratura, Arcidosso 2013, p. 244, Tav. III; A. Milano, Fogli per ventole e ventagli, in Museo d'Arti Applicate Raccolta Bertarelli. Ventole e ventagli, a cura di A. Milano, E. Villani, Milano 1995, p. 46, n. 4; Meaume, Recherches sur la vie et les ouvrages de Jacques Callot, Parigi 1860, n. 1094; A. Baudi De Vesme, La Peintre - Gravure Italien. Ouvrage faisant suite au "Peintre - Graveur" de Bartsch, 1906, p. 305.