Paulus Pontius’ engraving, “Raphael de Urbin”, 1630–40

Paulus Pontius (aka Paulus du Pont) (1603–1658)

“Raphael de Urbin”, 1630–40, after Raphael’s “The Czartoryski Raphael” (arguably a self-portrait; see Hasan Niyazi’s scholarly and important article about this portrait—“an iconic victim of Nazi art looting”: http://www.3pp.website/2012/08/the-czartoryski-raphael.html), published by Paulus Pontius, Antwerp

Engraving on fine laid paper lined onto a support sheet.

Size: (sheet trimmed unevenly) 26.2 x 19.1 cm; (plate) 25.8 x 18.2 cm; (image borderline) 22.5 x 17.4 cm

State ii (of iv) My attribution of the impression to this state is based on the publication details and the image itself matching the 2^nd state impression held by the BM and Harvard.

Hollstein 115.II; Mauquoy-Hendrickx 1991 162 (Marie Mauquoy-Hendrickx 1991, “L'Iconographie d'Antoine Van Dyck”, Catalogue raisonné, 2 vols, Brussels, Bibliotheque Royale Albert Ier); New Hollstein (Dutch & Flemish) 494.II (Van Dyck)

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Portrait of Raphael, half-length to right, wearing a beret; after his self-portrait.”

(http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1428788&partId=1&people=111135&peoA=111135-2-70&page=2)

See also the technical details offered by the Harvard Museum: https://www.harvardartmuseums.org/collections/object/277800?position=1

Condition: marvellously crisp impression but with tears to the margins and uneven trimming. The sheet has been laid onto a support of fine washi paper to address these issues. There are also (almost invisible) spot restorations of small abrasions.

I am selling this masterpiece by one of the most important engravers of the Renaissance for the total cost of AU$190 (currently US$148.46/EUR126.41/GBP112.64 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world.

If you are interested in purchasing this seldom seen engraving that is very likely a portrait of Raphael—certainly Pontius thought that it was hence the inscribed title—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

As a student I used to look at what I was told was a self-portrait of Raphael featured in his fresco, “The School of Athens.” In this enormous painting this so-called self-portrait of Raphael is shown in the guise of the legendary painter from antiquity, Apelles. Equally interesting to me at this time was that I was also told that Raphael’s true love in life is shown on the far left of the scene in the guise of the great Alexandrian female scholar, Hypatia. I must admit that my view of Raphael as a student was that he looked like a chap that could not catch a ball—perhaps closer to a chap that DEFINITELY could not catch a ball even if it were thrown underarm towards him. Moreover, my perception of the “love of his life”—and of course I could be very wrong—was the she was type of sensible lady who would only wear comfortable shoes.

What I find interesting in light of my early assessment is that when I examine this portrait of him by Pontius I feel that my early thoughts were close to the truth. I tend to agree with those who believe that this is not really a portrait of a man at all because of one seemingly trivial but probably important fact: he lacks an Adam’s apple—the laryngeal prominence—in the neck.

For those interested in this portrait I strongly recommend reading Hasan Niyazi’s (2012) highly informative article, “The Czartoryski Raphael”: http://www.3pp.website/2012/08/the-czartoryski-raphael.html