Francesco Villamena’s engraving, “Baptism of Christ”, 1626, after Raphael

Francesco Villamena (1564–1624)

“Baptism of Christ” (aka “Doop van Christus”; “De doop van Christus in de Jordaan”), 1626, plate 62 from the series, “Paintings in the Loggia of Raphael” (aka “Sacra Genesi figurate da Rafaele d'Urbino nelle Logge Vaticane”; “La Sacra Genesi”), after Raphael’s (aka Raffaello Sanzio; Raffaello Santi) (1483-1520) painting (c1517–19) in the Loggie of the Vatican (see https://arthive.com/raphael/works/464292).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following explanation regarding the plate number: (transl.) “This print is part of a series consisting of a title print and twenty prints by Francesco Villamena after paintings in the Loggia of Raphael in the Vatican. The series was published after Villamena's death. While the first fifteen prints are numbered 1-15, the last five prints are numbered 60-64. The printmaker may have envisioned a series of 64 prints, which remained unfinished because of his death” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.188603).

Engraving on laid paper trimmed with a narrow margin around the octagonal platemark and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (support sheet) 31.8 x 41.1 cm; (sheet) 14.9 x 25.6 cm; (plate) 14.4 x 25.3 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Cristus Dominus in Jordane à Joanne baptiz Zatur. Matt. III./ [artist’s monogram]/; (right) “62”.

LeBlanc 30 (Charles Le Blanc 1854-1888, “Manuel de l'amateur d'estampes: contenant le dictionnaire des graveurs de toutes les nations”, vol. 4, Paris, p. 124, cat. no. 30).

The Victoria and Albert Museum offers a description of this print: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1154035/the-baptism-of-st-john-print-villamena-francesco/ —note that the title proposed by the V&A, “The Baptism of St. John”, is problematic, as St John is baptising Christ.

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression showing slight wear to the printing plate at upper right, trimmed with narrow margins around the platemark and laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet is in an excellent condition with no tears, holes, folds, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this superb engraving after the famous fresco executed by Raphael’s workshop in the vaulted ceiling of the Raphael Loggia at the Vatican—I understand that it is the thirteenth bay—for the total cost of AU$340 (currently US$230.24/EUR216.38/GBP190.52 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 very beautiful engraving in its visually striking octagonal format, 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