Benigno
Bossi (1727–1792)
(left) “Plates 6” (aka “Head of a Boy, Profile
Left”), 1755 (as dated in plate)
(right) “Plate 9” (aka “Head of a Boy Holding
a Book”, c1755
Two etchings of the head of a youth facing
left on laid paper from the series of forty-three numbered plates (including
the title plate), “Raccolta di Teste” (Collection of Heads).
Size: (each sheet) 27 x 18.6 cm; (each plate) 9.4/9.6
x 7/7.5 cm.
“Plate 6” inscribed faintly in plate: (upper left)
“Benigno Bossi f-.1755.”; (upper right) “6”.
“Plate 9” inscribed faintly in plate: (upper left)
“Bossi In. f.”; (upper right) “9”.
The Harvard Art Museums offer a description of
“Plate 6” in an earlier state before the plate was reduced in size and
reworked: https://hvrd.art/o/275984.
The Rijksmuseum and The Harvard Art Museums
offer descriptions of “Plate 9” in an earlier state when it was inscribed, “nō V”: http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.86262
& https://hvrd.art/o/275973.
Interestingly, Benjamin Green (1739–1798)—purported
to have been the first printmaker to make a soft-ground etching—copied Bossi’s
“Plate 6” in the reverse direction as a soft-ground etching (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1861-1012-2390).
Condition: strong and well-printed impressions
with generous margins and in an excellent condition with no tears, holes,
folds, abrasions, losses, significant stains or foxing.
I am selling this pair of sensitive studies of
a boy facing left, for the total cost of AU$428 for the pair (currently US$309.97/EU286.93/GBP241.51
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.
If you are interested in purchasing this pair
of small and very beautiful etchings, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com)
and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.
Note that I have three other etchings by Benigno Bossi that are still available: https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2021/01/benigno-bossis-etchings-portrait-of-man.html & https://www.printsandprinciples.com/2019/12/benigno-bossis-etching-allegory-of-time.html.
