Gaspare Osello’s engraving, “The Annunciation with Prophets”, 1576, after Cornelis Cort and Federico Zuccaro

Gaspare Osello (c.1530–after 1590)

“The Annunciation with Prophets”, 1576, engraving in the same direction after Cornelis Cort’s (1533–1578) engraving (1571) and after the design by Federico Zuccaro (aka Federico Zuccari; Federigo Zuccaro; Federico Zucchero) (c.1542–1609), published by Nicolò Nelli in Venice (fl.1552–1579) in 1576.

Arguably Federico Zuccaro’s design was originally made for a fresco (sadly destroyed in the 1600s) in the church of Santa Maria Annunziata in Rome. There is also an interesting proposal that the design was created specifically for Cornelis Cort’s engraving for which there is a large pen and ink drawing by Federico Zuccaro in the Louvre (Louvre, inv. no.v4539)—an explanation of the two possibilities are offered in the description of Cornelis Cort’s engraving (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1917-1208-675-1-2),

Note that other printmakers also made engravings after Cornelis Cort’s engraving which in turn is after Federico Zuccaro’s design; see Girolamo Olgiati’s (fl.1567–1574) engraving (1572) (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_V-8-190) and Raphael Sadeler I’s (1560/61–1628/32) engraving (1580) (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_2002-0127-36).

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

Size: (sheet trimmed unevenly) 32.1 x 49.8 cm; (plate) 30.5 x 48.1 cm; (outer image borderline) 30.4 x 47.8 cm.

Inscribed in plate with fecit note: (right of centre on lower edge) “Gaspar ab Auibus/ Patavinus Fecit.” Note that there are ten other tablets with Latin text.

Lettered in plate in Latin: (along the writing edge at centre) “Opus quod in æde Virginis Deiparæ Annunciaæ Collegii Romani societatis IESV Federicus Zuccarus S. Angeli in Vado ad Ripas Mitauri perfecit æneis tabellis expressum/ Venetiis Nicolaus Nellius ad Archam Noè excud. 1576”.

Condition: a well-printed but slightly grey impression with small margins around the platemark. The sheet has numerous pale stains and is laid onto a support sheet of archival (millennium quality) washi paper.

I am selling this large and rare engraving showing prophets on either side of the annunciation scene, portrayed at lower centre, with God and the descending holy spirit (the dove) represented above this scene surrounded by a host of angels playing music and framed by Adam and Eve resting in the upper corners of the composition, for AU$484 (currently US$323.51/EUR292.71/GBP257.67 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 this grand portrayal of the annunciation and heaven—and an interesting representation of blazing light and sound in a static visual image from the late1500s—please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.