Pietro Aquila’s etching, “Plate 10: Hero & Leander…”, 1674, after Annibale Carracci

Pietro Aquila (1650–1692)

“Plate 10: Hero & Leander; Hercules & Iole; Pan & Syrinx”, 1674, after Annibale Carracci’s (1560–1609) fresco in the Farnese Gallery (west wing of the Palazzo Farnese), from the series of 24 engravings, “Galeriae Farnesianae Icones”, published in Rome by Giovanni Giacomo de' Rossi (1627–1691).

Note that the Smithsonian Libraries showcase this print and its series in the larger publication, “Galleria Dipinta nel Palazzo del Prencipe Panfilio”, after the ceiling frescoes by Pietro da Cortona depicting the history of Aeneas in the Palazzo Pamphili, Rome” (1690), involving prints by Carlo Cesi; the series of prints by Pietro Aquila after Annibale Carracci in which this print features begins on page 96 and this print is on page 122: https://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/galeriadipintan00cesi.

Etching with engraving on laid paper, trimmed around the platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 30 x 70.6 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (left) “Annibal Carraccius pinx. in. Ædibus farnesianis”; (left of centre) “Leander, Amore duce Hellespontum trasnatans ad Hero./ Io. Iacob de Rubeis formis Romæ ad Temp. S. Mariæ de Pace cu Priv. S. Pont.”; (right of centre) “Molle latus sæuis IOLE tegit aspera villis,/ Armauitque manum clauâ domitrice ferarum./ Tymparna Iasciuis caua pulsat cantibus Heros;/ Iactat AMOR spolium Nemees, victorque superbit.”; (right) “10/ SYRINGA vim PANOS effugiens, in calamum versa./ Petrus Aquila delin. et sculp.”

Borea XLII D.14 i/i

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“Plate 10: View from one of the painted walls in the Galleria Farnese; at centre, in a squared frame, a scene from Apollodorus (2.6:3), Hercules and Omphale; Omphale seen seated to left, wearing Hercules' headdress and Hercules seen playing the tambourine; to left; in a roundel, Hero and Leander (Heroides 18,19); in another roundel, Pan and Syrinx (Metamorphoses 1:689-713) c.1674 Etching with some engraving”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1896-1118-114-13)

See also the description of the print at the National Gallery of Victoria (Australia): 

https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/34370/.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression, trimmed along the platemark with many restorations, but without significant stains or foxing, and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this very large and dramatically glowing etching, for AU$360 (currently US$272.35/EUR222.62/GBP203.23 at the time of this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) 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 amazing etching translating with great visual impact Carracci’s fresco painting into line and dot, 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