St Matthew

Etching, 1580-90 circa, lettered in lower right corner 'FP'. After a Parmigianino subject.

Good example, printed on contemporary laid paper, trimmed at margins, light browning, generally in good condition.

The etching reproduces, in reverse, the corresponding etching of the Monogrammist FP (Bartsch, XVI, p.21, 8), in turn in reverse to the design conserved in the Louvre (Popham, No. 470, table 167).
The drawing, like the others of the Apostles series, was also recorded in chiaroscuro (Bartsch, XII, p.70, 7).

The etching is part of a series of six, engraved, three to three, on two plates, all in reverse after the originals by Monogrammist FP, which engraved (c. 1550) the complete series of the Twelve Apostles.
From Grelle Iusco (Index de'Rossi 1735, page 429), we know that these anonymous copies has engraved on the recto of plates that on verso had been engraved to depict Sixtus V (1585 - 1590).