Carlo Maratti's etching, “The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine”, c.1650

Carlo Maratti (aka Carlo Maratta) (1625–1713)

“The Mystic Marriage of St Catherine”, 1645–1660, an early state (ii of v) still showing tentatively inscribed traces of a child’s leg at lower-left and other exploratory strokes below the incompletely drawn oval borderline.

Note that there are five copies in reverse of this etching by other hands (TIB 4703.010 C1–C5).

Etching on laid paper trimmed along the platemark with thread margins and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 17.5 x 13.1 cm; (plate) 17.4 x 12.9 cm.

Inscribed on plate below the oval image borderline: (left) “Carolus Maratus inue.”; (right) “et fecit Romæ.”

State ii (of v) showing the inscription and “Traces of the marking at lower left of the first state” and the incomplete “the upper right contour of the oval” (TIB 4703.010 S2).

The British Museum holds an impression of state i of this print:

https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=1552320&partId=1&searchText=Carlo+Maratti+&page=2

TIB 47(21).10(93) Bellini (Paolo Bellini, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Masters of the Seventeenth Century”, vol. 47, New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 10 [93], p.20 & vol. 47, Part 1 [Commentary], New York, Abaris Books, cat. no. 4703,010 S2, p. 33), 1977 2.I (Paolo Bellini 1799, “L'Opera Incisa di Carlo Maratti”, Pavia); Bartsch XXI.93.10.

Condition: a slightly grey early impression trimmed along the platemark and laid upon an archival support sheet of millennium quality washi paper. The sheet is in very good condition for its considerable age (i.e. there are no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing).

I am selling this extremely rare and early impression of an etching by an artist that the British Museum describes as “the last exponent of the great classical tradition of Roman painting that had originated with Raphael” (https://research.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/term_details.aspx?bioId=115939) for the total cost of AU$403 (currently US$272.65/EUR247.43/GBP210.80 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 seldom seen etching on the art market, 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