Paolo Fidanza’s two etchings, “Plate 22: Apollo” and “Plate 23: Calliope”, c1757

Paolo Fidanza (fl.1731–1785)

“Plate 22: Apollo” and “Plate 23: Calliope”, c1757, from the series of twenty-four heads after Raphael’s fresco, “The Parnassus” (c1510) (see https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parnaso_02.jpg) in the Stanza della Segnatura, Vatican. The Royal Collection Trust proposes (see https://www.rct.uk/collection/852467) that the prints may also be plates in the two-volume series of the 180 prints (not all by Fidanza), “Recueil De Têtes Choisies De Personnages Illustres Dans Les Lettres Et Dans Les Armes Exactement Dessinées Et Gravées De La Grandeur Des Originaux Par Paul Fidanza Peintre Romain D'Après Les Peintures De Raphaël D'Urbin Et Autres Grands Maîtres Existantes Au Vatican Et Dans Plusieurs galeries De Rome Ouvrage Contenant CLXXXX” ([Trans.] “Collection Of Selected Heads Of Illustrious Personages In Letters And In Arms Exactly Drawn And Engraved From The Grandeur Of The Originals By Paul Fidanza Roman Painter From The Paintings Of Raphael D'Urbino And Other Great Masters Existing In The Vatican And In Several Galleries Of Rome Book Containing 180 [plates]”), published by Bouchard et Gravier (Giovanni Bouchard and Jean Joseph Gravier) (fl.1750–1789) in Rome in 1785. Note that the dimensions of the sheets of this pair of prints are larger than the published volumes by Buchard et Gravier suggesting that these prints are from the earlier c1757 edition (or certainly a different edition).

Etchings with engraving with pale plate tone on laid paper with wide margins as published.

Size of each print: (sheet) 57.5 x 42.3 cm; (Apollo plate) 39.2 x 29.8 cm; (Calliope plate) 37.7 x 26.9 cm.

Inscribed in plate on “Plate 22: Apollo”: (upper right corner) “Tav. 22.”; (lower edge) “APOLLO, detto anche Febo figlio di Giove, e di Latona. I Poeti lo fanno il Dio della Divinazione, e della Sapienza, e Inventore/ assieme con Esculapio suo figliuolo della Medicina; Rappresentato da Rafaele nel monto Parnaso in mezzo alle nove Muse.”

(Google Transl.) “APOLLO, also called Phoebus son of Jupiter, and of Latona. The Poets make him the God of Divination, and of Wisdom, and Inventor/ together with Aesculapius, his son of Medicine; Represented by Rafaele in the Parnassus mountain in the midst of the nine Muses.”

Inscribed in plate on “Plate 23: Calliope”: (upper right corner) “Tav. 23.”; (lower edge) “CALLIOPE, la prima delle nove Muse, la quale trovo le Lettere, e il verso Eroico, fu figurata da/ Rafaele nel suo Monte Parnaso vicino ad Apollo.”

(Google Transl.) “CALLIOPE, the first of the nine Muses, which I find the Letters, and the Heroic verse, was depicted by / Rafaele in his Mount Parnassus near Apollo.”

Condition: richly inked and well-printed early impressions (based on the linework showing no sign of wear to the printing plates) with generously wide margins (as published) in excellent condition.

I am selling this pair of large etchings in superb condition for their considerable age for the total cost of AU$440 for the pair (currently US$320.51/EUR279.46/GBP233.58 at the time of posting 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 these grand scale etchings based on figures in Raphael’s fresco, “The Parnassus”, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

These prints have been sold