Master of the Die, “Apuleius Changed into a Donkey”, c.1527, after Michiel Coxie I

Master of the Die (fl.1522–33)

Note the “Benezit Dictionary of Artists” (2005) proposes that the Master of the Die may be Bernardo Daddi (fl.c.1530–1660) and the British Museum proposes that the artist may be Tommaso Vincidor (1493–1536); see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/term/BIOG37609.

“Apuleius Changed into a Donkey” (TIB title), c.1527 (1520–1535), plate 1 from the series of thirty-two plates (second version with verses and plate number), “Fable of Psyche” (TIB title) (aka "The Story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apuleius" [MET title]), after the design by Michiel Coxie I (aka Michiel van Coxcyen) (1490–1592), published in Rome by Antonio Salamanca (1478–1562).

Engraving on fine laid paper with a narrow margin around the platemark, backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 21 x 24.2 cm; (plate) 20.1 x 23.6 cm; (image borderline without the writing edge) 17.3 x 23.2 cm

Inscribed in plate within the image borderline: (lower right) “Ant. Sal exc./ Sup: lic:”

Numbered twice in plate at lower left: “1”.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline in four lines of Italian in two columns: “Narra Apulcó, che(mentr' egli cangiato/ In Asino, seruiua à genti ladre)/ Vua sposa rubbaro il destinato/ Didele nozze le rapaci squadre.// Cui (per farle scordare un sogno ingrato)/ Dona conforto una canuta madre,/ Che l'hauea in guardia, et con grata fauella/ Le racconta di Psiche la nouella.” ([Google Transl.] “Apulco narrates that (while he was changed/ Into a donkey, he was serving thieving people)/ His destined bride was stolen/ By the rapacious squads of his men.// To whom (to make her forget an unpleasant dream)/ A gray-haired mother comforted/ Who kept her on guard, and with a pleasant tongue/ Recounted to her the story of Psyche.”).

State iii showing Antonio Salamanca as the publisher (see the explanation of the various states offered by the Curator of the BM: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_M-44-2 [BM inv. no. M,44.2]).

TIB 29.39 (Suzanne Boorsch [ed.] 1982, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 29, Abaris Books, New York, p.195, cat no. 39); Bartsch XV.212.39 (Adam Bartsch 1803, “Le Peintre graveur”, vol. 15, Vienna)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Plate 1: Apuleius changed into a donkey listening to the story told by an old woman/ Engraving” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_L-67-1 [BM inv. L,67.1]).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression with a small margin around the image borderline. Beyond surface unevenness in the writing edge and fractures in the upper right edge, the sheet is in a very good condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, or significant stains.

I am selling this curiously interesting and very beautiful engraving by the 16th century printmaker whose work is often inscribed with a symbol of a dice—hence the artist’s descriptive title, “Master of the Die”—for AU$377 (equivalent to approximately US$238.28, EUR 220.15, or GBP 184.88 at the time of listing) and includes Express Mail Service (EMS) postage and handling to any worldwide destination. Please note that any import duties or taxes levied by the destination country are the responsibility of the buyer and are not included in the purchase price. Payment is requested in Australian dollars (AU$377).

If you are interested in purchasing this superb print from the Renaissance era not only exemplifying an interest at the time for classical mythology, but also showing a use of the distaff—the spindle for spinning fibre that, I understand, was a woman’s weapon of choice when battling men—as a symbol of female power, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold