Bernard Picart’s etching, “Lucretia and Tarquin”, after Palma Giovane

Bernard Picart (1673–1733)

“Lucretia and Tarquin” (aka “Tarquinius and Lucretia”; “Rape of Lucretia by Tarquin”), c.1730 (1724–33), plate 14 after the painting by Palma Giovane (aka Jacopo Palma; Jacopo Negretti; Palma il Giovane) (c.1548–1628) (Hermitage Museum, inv. ГЭ-6893) from the series, “Impostures Innocents” (aka “Impostures innocentes, ou, Recueil d'estampes d'apres divers peintres illustres: tels que Rafael, Le Guide, Carlo Maratti, Le Poussin, Rembrandt, &c. gravées à leur imitation, & selon le gout particulier de chacun d'eux, & accompagnées d'un discours sur les préjugés de certains curieux touchant la gravure”), published posthumously in Amsterdam by the artist’s second wife (Chez la veuve de Bernard Picart) in 1735. This impression is from a later edition on wove paper.

“Impostures Innocents”, in which this print features, may be viewed on line (or for free downloading) at Archive.org. The first URL showcases the index (“Table des Figures”) to the prints in the publication (this plate is number XIV) and the second URL opens at this print:

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012243180/page/n23/mode/2up/search/Tarquin;

https://archive.org/details/gri_33125012243180/page/n67/mode/2up/search/Tarquin.

Etching on chine collé (China) printed in umber coloured ink on wove paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 42.9 x 28 cm; (plate) 13.9 x 15.6 cm; (image borderline) 12.5 x 14.9 cm.

Numbered on plate above the image borderline: (right corner) “14”.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: “Gravé par B. Picart, d’aprés le tableau du Palme, qui est au Cabinet de B. Picart.”

LeBlanc 470 (Ch. Leblanc 1854, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes, contenant un dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations: ouvrage destiné à faire suite au Manuel du libraire par J.Ch. Brunet”, vol. 3, Paris, p. 193, cat. no. 470).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 14: Tarquin with drawn sword attacks Lucretia who falls back naked on her bed, the scene being lit by a youth with a flaming torch, after Palma Giovane. c.1724/33”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1861-1109-756).

See also the description of this print offered by the Rijksmuseum:

http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.302250.

Condition: well-printed impression with generous margins and beyond a small closed tear on the right margin, the sheet is in excellent condition (i.e. there are no holes, folds, losses, abrasions or significant stains—but there are a few pale dots in the margin).

I am selling this visually arresting etching glowing in the warm brown ink in which it is printed, for AU$216 (currently US$140.97/EUR129.95/GBP113.34 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 sensitive translation of Palma Giovane’s painting into an etching—note how Picart has represented the tonal transition of shadows on the far wall with three layers of hatched marks (viz. a layer of vertical lines for the mid-tone, followed by a layer of horizonal lines and finally a layer of angled lines for the darkest tone)—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.