16th Century Nude Prints

Artist: Marco Dente da Ravenna (Italian, 1493-1527) Title: "Venere e Amore sui Delfini (Venus and Cupid on Dolphins)" *Monogram signed by Dente in the plate (printed signature) lower left Circa: 1515-1520 (second state of three) Medium: Original Engraving on laid paper Limited edition: Unknown Printer: Unknown Publisher: Antonio Salamanca, Rome, Italy Reference: Bartsch XIV, page 244, No. 324; Passavant VI, page 69, No. 32; Le Blanc, II, page 111, No. 16; Imolesi Pozzi pages 71-72, 113, No. 10 Framing: Recently beautifully framed, the sheet is museum mounted, floated over a 100% cotton rag mat in a modern gold moulding and Museum glass Framed size: 16.88" x 13.07" Sheet size: 10.63" x 6.94" Condition: Thread margins. A strong impression in excellent condition Very rare Notes: Provenance: private collection - Périgueux, France. This work is also sometimes referred to as "Venus and Cupid riding two sea monsters, Cupid raises an arrow in his right hand, two heads representing wind in the clouds above". The engraver's monogram "SR" lower left. Published by Antonio Salamanca (1478-1562) in Rome, Italy with his address printed lower right: "Ant. Sal. Exc.". No watermark found. This engraving is after a drawing by Italian artist Raphael aka Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino (1483-1520). "This engraving by Marco Dente is after a design by Raphael, now lost, used by Giulio Romano for his fresco on the south wall of the Stufetta of cardinal Bibbiena - a small room in the Apostolic Palace, at the Vatican, that originally served as a washroom for the cardinal. The engraving differs from the fresco in some details, such as the cityscape in the background and the two winds above, which may indicate that these elements were present in Raphael's drawing. " - Christie's, London Biography: Marco Dente da Ravenna (1493–1527), usually just called Marco Dente, was an Italian engraver born in Ravenna in the latter part of the 15th Century. He was a prominent figure within the circle of printmakers around Marcantonio Raimondi...

448 x 315 mm.; 17 5/8 x 12 1/4 inches Watermark: Eagle, close to Briquet 207 (Rome 1573-76) Notes: Bos was born in ‘s-Hertogenbosch in southern Netherlands (in French, the city’s name is “Bois-le-Duc”), and was active in Rome for a number of years from circa 1549 onward. His works were influenced by Marcantonio Raimondi (near Bologna 1480 – died between 1527 and 1534: see our no. 11). The inspiration for this magnificent and extremely rare engraving was the famous so-called Farnese Hercules...