Orazio Borgianni's etching, “The Baptism of Christ”, 1615

Orazio Borgianni (aka Orazio Borgiani) (c1578–1616)

“The Baptism of Christ” (TIB title) (“Jésus Christ baptise dans le jourdain par St. Jean” [Bartsch title]), 1615 (inscribed on plate), plate 51 from the series of 52 etchings after Raphael, “The Loggia Paintings” (TIB title). Note that a previous collector has annotated in ink (now faded) at the lower right corner, “50”, but this number is inaccurate with regard to the plate sequence of the series.

Etching on fine laid paper, trimmed with loss of the left and right pointed ends of the hexagonal image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 14.6 x 20.1 cm

Inscribed on plate within the image borderline: (lower right corner) “1615 / [artist’s monogram]”

Lifetime impression of the only state. (Note: attribution of this print to a lifetime impression is based on the crisp quality of the lines showing minimal wear to the plate.)

TIB 38 (17).51(320) (Walter L Strauss [ed.] 1979, “The Illustrated Bartsch”, vol. 38, New York, Abaris Books, p. 410); Bartsch XVII.320.51.

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print:

(transl.) “Christ is baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Angels kneel and float behind John.”

(http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.85403)

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=3051036&partId=1&searchText=orazio&page=3

Condition: richly inked, crisp and well-printed impression—a superior impression to the copies held by the British Museum (see BM no. 1893,1018.19.46) and the Rijksmuseum (see RP-P-OB-35.460)—trimmed with loss of the pointed ends of the image borderline. Beyond this loss and an inaccurate plate number inscribed in ink (now faded) by the old hand of a previous collector, the sheet is in excellent condition for its age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains or foxing). The sheet is backed with a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this superb etching executed in the last year of the artist’s life and based on the design of the legendary Raphael (1483–1520) who had passed away only 95 years before this print was created, for AU$257 (currently US$176.66/EUR158.27/GBP138.88 at the time of this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world (but not, of course, any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries).

If you are interested in purchasing this rare Renaissance period print, 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