Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 12

17th Century Etchingn "Adoration of the Magi" by Pietro Testa, circa 1640

$869List Price

About the Item

Beautiful etching representing the classic religious subject of the "Adoration of the Magi" by the Baroque painter and engraver Pietro Testa known as il Lucchesino. The print derives from an oil on canvas of the same name now in Montpelier. Identified by the TPL monogram on the right and the dedication signature. Paolo Bellini in the book "L'opera incisa di Pietro Testa" (The engraving work of Pietro Testa) ,published in 1976 by Neri Pozza in Vicenza, identifies this work as an example of the third state of three since, respect to the second state, the address of Gio Giacomo Rossi is added . In the lower margin there is the dedication in Latin to: Most illustrious and most reverend (cardinal) Gerolamo Bonvisi, Cleric of the Apostolic Chamber, D.D. The star on the left often blushes with the light of evil / Kings live here so that they recognize the Lord, / happy face good star shines benignly./ Petrus Testa Pietro Testa (1611–1650) was an Italian High Baroque artist active in Rome. He is best known as a printmaker and draftsman. He was born in Lucca, and thus is sometimes called il Lucchesino. He moved to Rome early in life. One source states he was ejected from the Cortona studio in 1631, soon after joining the workshop. Others state Testa trained under Pietro Paolini or under Domenichino, for whom he worked under the patronage of Cassiano dal Pozzo. He was friends with Nicolas Poussin and Francesco Mola. Some of his etchings, which often include work in drypoint, have a fantastic quality reminiscent of Jacques Callot, or embellishments of his Genoese contemporary Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione and even presciently suggest William Blake. His Sacrifice of Iphigenia appears to have influenced Tiepolo's rendition at Villa Valmarana Ai Nani in Vicenza. His early prints, from the 1630s, were often religious and were influenced by Federico Barocci. These achieve very delicate effects of light; his later ones became harder and more austere in style, as he attempted a personal version of neo-classicism, under the influence of the Carracci. Many of his later subjects were original classical subjects, the most ambitious reflecting his personal struggles. His prints were successful and frequently copied. Between 1638 and 1644, Testa completed what is perhaps his most important work, a set of complex and highly detailed etchings on the theme of The Seasons, which served as an expression of his interest in Platonic philosophy. Sympathetic contemporaries considered these his "finest and most important works." Testa was influenced by Leonardo da Vinci to favor direct observation of natural phenomena, a fact that may have limited his productivity as an artist and might even have caused his death. Accounts of Testa's death are confused and contradictory, some suggesting murder or suicide. Testa was described as melancholic in temperament; his difficult personality caused problematic dealings with his patrons such as Niccolò Simonelli, and a series of projects had ended in frustration. Yet his earliest biographer, the 17th-century author Filippo Baldinucci, indicates that the death was accidental. Commenting on Testa's habit of "depicting night scenes and changes in the atmosphere and in the sky," Baldinucci states that Testa was standing on a Tiber riverbank, "drawing and observing some reflections of the rainbow in the water," when he fell in and drowned. Please note: the release of the authorization for export by the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage takes about six weeks from the day of purchase.

Creator:
Pietro Testa (Artist, Author)
Dimensions:
Height: 14.06 in (35.7 cm)Width: 9.26 in (23.5 cm)Depth: 0.04 in (1 mm)
Style:
Baroque (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper,Other
Place of Origin:
Italy
Period:
17th Century
Date of Manufacture:
circa 1640
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use.
Seller Location:
Cagliari, IT
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU3136333682402

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Paintings

Materials

Wood, Giltwood, Paint

17th Century Italian Flemish Oil on Canvas Painting of Adoration of the Magi

$26,663 Sale Price

24% Off

H 21.25 in W 69 in D 1 in

Antique Print of French 17th Century Office, circa 1880

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled 'France XVIIth Cent - France XVIIe Siegle - Frankreich XVIIth'. Chromolithograph of French 17th century office. This print originates from 'Le Costume Historique...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Antique Print of French 17th Century Office, circa 1880

$329

H 8.67 in W 15.36 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 81 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled ' XVIIth Century - XVIIe Siecle - XVIItes Jahrhundert'. Chromolithograph of 17th century ornaments and decorative arts. This print originates from 'l'Ornement Po...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 81 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

$143 Sale Price

20% Off

H 16.34 in W 11.42 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 77 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled ' XVIIth Century - XVIIe Siecle - XVIItes Jahrhundert'. Chromolithograph of 17th century ornaments and decorative arts. This print originates from 'l'Ornement Po...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 77 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

$143 Sale Price

20% Off

H 16.34 in W 11.42 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 74 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled ' XVIIth Century - XVIIe Siecle - XVIItes Jahrhundert'. Chromolithograph of 16th and 17th century ornaments and decorative arts. This print originates from 'l'Or...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 74 Antique Print of 17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

$143 Sale Price

20% Off

H 16.34 in W 11.42 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 62 Antique Print of 16th-17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled 'XVIth XVIIth Century - XVIth XVIIth Siecle - XVIth XVIIth Jahrundert'. Chromolithograph of 16th-17th century ornaments and decorative arts. This print originate...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 62 Antique Print of 16th-17th Century Ornaments by Racinet, circa 1890

$143 Sale Price

20% Off

H 16.34 in W 11.42 in D 0.02 in

17th century, Flemish School, Adoration of the Magi

Located in Milan, IT

17th century, Flemish School Adoration of the Magi Oil on copper, diam. 19.5 cm Framed 35.3 x 35.3 cm Engraved on the back in seventeenth-century calligraphy "Fiamingo" Vivid wo...

Category

Antique 18th Century and Earlier Dutch Other Paintings

Materials

Copper

17th century, Flemish School, Adoration of the Magi

$6,951

H 13.78 in W 13.78 in D 1.97 in

Pl. 93 Antique Print of French 17th Century Furniture by Racinet, circa 1880

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled 'France XVIIth Cent - France XVIIe Siecle - Frankreich XVIItes Jahr'. Chromolithograph of French 17th century furniture. T...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 93 Antique Print of French 17th Century Furniture by Racinet, circa 1880

$95 Sale Price

20% Off

H 8.67 in W 7.68 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 89 Antique Print of European 17th Century Furniture by Racinet, circa 1880

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled 'Europa XVIIth Cent - Europe XVIIe Siecle - Europa XVIItes Jahr'. Chromolithograph of European 17th century furniture . Th...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 89 Antique Print of European 17th Century Furniture by Racinet, circa 1880

$95 Sale Price

20% Off

H 8.67 in W 7.68 in D 0.02 in

Pl. 91 Antique Print of European 17th Century Jewelry by Racinet, circa 1880

Located in Langweer, NL

Antique print titled 'Europa XVIIth Cent - Europe XVIIe Siecle - Europa XVIItes Jahr'. Chromolithograph of European 17th century jewelry. This p...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Pl. 91 Antique Print of European 17th Century Jewelry by Racinet, circa 1880

$95 Sale Price

20% Off

H 8.67 in W 7.68 in D 0.02 in

More From This Seller

View All

17th Century Etchingn and Drypoint" Ceres and Phytalus" by Salvator Rosa, 1662

By Salvator Rosa

Located in Cagliari, IT

" Ceres and Phytalus" To left, Phytalus, kneeling, receives the fig tree from the goddess Ceres, standing to right, as a reward for his hospitality. Etching and drypoint, circa 1662,...

Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Prints

Materials

Paper

17th Century Etchingn and Drypoint" Ceres and Phytalus" by Salvator Rosa, 1662

$869

17th Century Pair of Burin Prints by Giovanni Battista Vanni, Italy, 1642

By Antonio da Correggio, Giovanni Battista Vanni

Located in Cagliari, IT

A beautiful pair of burin engravings depicting "Saint Bernardo degli Uberti" and "Saint Hilary of Poitiers" two of the patron saints of the city included in the base of the cupola ( dome ) of Parma cathedral frescoed by Antonio Allegri known as Correggio (Correggio, August 1489-Correggio 5 March 1534) between 1524 and 1530. Admirable work by the great master in which his genius as a forerunner of the Baroque is fully seen. In 1642 Giovanni Battista Vanni etched a series of fifteen plates from Correggio's frescoes. Giovanni Battista Vanni was born in Pisa around 1599; he studied successively under Jacopo da Empoli, Aurelio Lomi, and Matteo Rosselli, and then became a disciple of Cristofano Allori. He is better known as an engraver than as a painter. From 1624 to 1632, he lived in Rome, then returning to Florence after visiting Venice. In addition to the series of prints...

Category

Antique 17th Century Italian Baroque Prints

Materials

Paper

17th Century Pair of Burin Prints by Giovanni Battista Vanni, Italy, 1642

$2,157 / set

17th Century Francesco Curti "Vendor of Shoes" Etching

By Giuseppe Maria Mitelli, Francesco Curti

Located in Cagliari, IT

The print is part of the series consisting of forty engravings, "I mestieri per la via" (The crafts on the road), engraved by Francesco Curti (Bologna ca.1603- Bologna 1670) by an in...

Category

Antique 1660s Italian Prints

Materials

Copper

17th Century Francesco Curti "Vendor of Shoes" Etching

$191

17th Century Jan Van De Velde Print "October" from the Months, 1618

By Claes Jansz. Visscher (II), Jan Van de Velde

Located in Cagliari, IT

Beautiful burin from the rare suite "The Months" performed by the artist and engraved by Claens Jansz Visscher (1587-19 June 1652). Very fresh and well contrasted, laid paper with w...

Category

Antique 1610s Dutch Prints

Materials

Paper

17th Century Jan Van De Velde Print "October" from the Months, 1618

$939 Sale Price

20% Off

17th Century Jan Van De Velde Print "January" from the Months, 1618

By Jan Van de Velde, Claes Jansz. Visscher (II)

Located in Cagliari, IT

Beautiful burin from the rare suite "The Months" performed by the artist and engraved by Claens Jansz Visscher (1587-19 June 1652). Very fresh and well contrasted, laid paper with w...

Category

Antique 1610s Dutch Prints

Materials

Paper

17th Century Jan Van De Velde Print "January" from the Months, 1618

$939 Sale Price

20% Off

17th Century Flaemish Abraham Genoels II "Landscape with Rabbit" Etching

By Abraham Genoels II

Located in Cagliari, IT

Beautiful etching by Abraham Genoels II (Antwerp 1640-1723) from a painting by Adam Frans van der Meulen (Brussels 1844-Paris 1690). Excellent state of conservation with wide margin...

Category