CIRCLE OF ANDREA MANTEGNA (‘THE PREMIER ENGRAVER’)

Four Dancing Muses

Details

CIRCLE OF ANDREA MANTEGNA (‘THE PREMIER ENGRAVER’)
Four Dancing Muses
engraving, circa 1497, on laid paper, watermark Small Flower (Martineau 12; similar to Briquet 6327), a very good impression of this rare print, trimmed inside the platemark but outside the subject, trimmed close to the subject at left, the right sheet corners slightly uneven and partially made-up, a skilfully repaired tear at the upper sheet edge at centre, some other, minor defects
Sheet 245 x 345 mm.

Provenance

Possibly Alexander Gibson Hunter (early 19th century), Ballskelly, Scotland (see Lugt 2306).
With Colnaghi, London (with their stock number W. 306 in pencil on the reverse, probably relating to the above).
Klipstein & Kornfeld, Bern, 7 June 1961, lot 147 (CHF 3,220).
Acquired at the above sale; then by descent to the present owners.

Literature

Bartsch 18 (as Zoan Andrea); Hind V 27.21; Martineau 138

Lot Essay

According to Briquet, the earliest occurrence of the watermark in this sheet is documented in Besançon in 1503. The paper of the present impression is therefore nearly contemporary with the creation of the plate. Boorsch and Landau record only one impression on Italian paper (Boston, Museum of Fine Arts), with a Cardinal's Hat watermark, first found on documents in Udine, also dated 1503 (see Martineau, pp. 271).

More from Old Master Prints

View All