Marco da Ravenna’s engraving, “Noah’s Sacrifice”, c1523, after Raphael

Marco da Ravenna (aka Marco Dente) (fl.1515–1527)

Note that the British Museum attributes this print to Marco da Ravenna, but advises that it is “placed under Marcantonio Raimondi” (1470/1482–1527/1534) (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-4-32). I understand by this advice and the insight in the BM’s biographical details for Marco da Ravenna that the “identification of his [Marco da Ravenna’s] work is vexed”, that the attribution has shifted from Marcantonio Raimondi to Marco da Ravenna. I am also mindful that “The Illustrated Bartsch: The Works of Marcantonio Raimondi and of his School” (1978) has this print catalogued with Marcantonio Raimondi’s oeuvre (see vol. 26, p. 13).

“Noah’s Sacrifice”, c1523 (1519–1527), after Raphael's (1483–1520) design for the fresco executed by Gianfrancesco Penni (1490–1528) and Giulio Romano (1499–1546) in the third arcade of the Vatican Logge.

The curator of the British Museum advises:

“There is a drawing of the same subject and in the same direction as the print in the Albertina (inv. 169, SR 207) believed to be a copy by Penni as well as one in Weimar in the Grobherzoglich Sammlung” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_H-1-10). 

Engraving on laid paper with a narrow margin around the image borderline and a collector’s ligature monogram ink stamp (not in Lugt) on the lower edge, backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 20.9 x 24.5 cm; (image borderline) 20.7 x 24.3 cm.

(Under Marcantonio Raimondi) TIB 26.4(6) (Konrad Oberhuber [ed.] 1978, “The Illustrated Bartsch: The Works of Marcantonio Raimondi and of his School”, New York, Abaris Books, p. 13, cat. no. 4 [6]).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print:

“The Sacrifice of Noah; Noah at right in a gesture of prayer in front of an altar, three figures preparing two rams for sacrifice; behind the altar two men leading two cows and a camel; after Raphael”

(https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-4-32).

See also the descriptions of this print at the Rijksmuseum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Childs Gallery: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.104583;

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/341434;

https://childsgallery.com/work/noahs-sacrifice-after-raphael-sanzio-1483-1520/.

Condition: a strong impression (possibly a lifetime impression based on the quality of the lines showing no sign of wear to the printing plate) with a narrow margin around the image borderline and laid onto a sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. There are restored fractures (nearly invisible) where the sheet may have once been folded and I am uncertain whether the impression is on naturally grey laid paper or if the paper that has been evenly darkened with time, otherwise the sheet is in very good (restored) condition with no significant stains, or foxing.

I am selling this exceptionally rare and very beautiful engraving executed around the final year of Raphael’s life (or shortly after), for a total cost of AU$439 (currently US$337.98/EUR276.33/GBP247.34 at the time of posting 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.

This print has been sold