Comte de Caylus, “L'Empereur Henry IV aux pieds du Pape Grégoire VII”, 1742, after Federico Zuccaro

Anne Claude Philippe de Tubières, Comte de Caylus (aka Caylus; Anne Claude de Caylus; Anne Claude de Pestels; Anne Claude Philippe de Thubiéres) (1692–1765)

“L'Empereur Henry IV aux pieds du Pape Grégoire VII”, 1742, published in 1763, plate 90 from the series, “Recueil d'estampes d'après les plus beaux tableaux et d'après les plus beaux desseins qui sont en France” (Collection of prints from the most beautiful paintings and from the most beautiful designs that are in France) (aka “Recueil Crozat”; “Cabinet Crozat”), after a drawing now in the Cabinet des Dessins, Louvre (https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl020101701 [inv. 4452, recto]) by Federico Zuccaro (aka Federico Zuccari; Federigo Zuccaro; Federico Zucchero) (c1542–1609) that the Curator of the BM advises is “a study for the decoration of the Sala Regia, Palazzi Vaticani, Rome” (see BM inv. no. 1855,0609.170).

Etching and aquatint, imitating the chiaroscuro woodcut by Nicolas Lesueur (aka Nicolas Le Sueur) (1690–1764) (see https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b6956097d.item) printed in two shades of brown (Raw Sienna) ink on heavy wove paper trimmed around the platemark and backed with a support sheet providing wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 45.5 x 22.2 cm; (image borderline) 40.8 x 21 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (centre) “L'Empereur Henry IV. aux pieds du Pape Gregoire VII./ Dessein de Frederic Zuccari, qui est dans le Cabinet de M^r. Crozat/ Gravé à l’eau forte par M^r. le C… de C.., et en bois sous sa conduit par Nicolas le Sueur.”

IFF 503 (Inventaire du Fonds Français: Bibliothèque Nationale, Département des Estampes).

The British Museum offers the following description of this print: “Emperor Henry VI submitting to pope Gregory VII in Canossa; the Emperor, dressed as a penitent, kneels before the pope, who sits on an elevated throne at left; many attendants observe; on the right, a window opening onto a scene showing Gregory III being threatened by soldiers; after a drawing by Federico Zuccaro. 1742” (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1855-0609-170).

Condition: a strong and well-printed impression. The sheet has no tears, holes, folds, abrasions or significant stains and is trimmed around the platemark and laid onto a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper providing wide margins.

I am selling this large curiosity of a print employing etching and aquatint designed to look like a chiaroscuro woodcut (i.e., a woodcut involving more than one tone of a colour) for AU$282 in total (currently US$186.96/EUR171.74/GBP144.73 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. Note that payment is in Australian dollars (AU$282) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this lifetime impression (based on the quality of line showing minimal signs of wear to the printing plate) of a technically fascinating print, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.