Diana Scultori, “The Birth of John the Baptist”, c.1580, after Giulio Romano

Diana Scultori (aka Diana Ghisi; Diana Mantovana) (1536–1598)

Note that the Curator of the British Museum advises: “The authorship of this print is highly contested. S. Massari considers it to have been done by Diana, while P. Bellini considers it to be a dubious attribution. Other scholars have suggested that it was made by C. Cort. See Paolo Bellini, ‘L'opera incisa Adamo e Diana Scultori’, Vicenza, 1991, pp. 266-68” (BM inv. no. V,8.2).

“The Birth of John the Baptist” (TIB title) (aka “La Naissance de St. Jean Baptiste”; “Geboorte van Johannes de Doper”), c.1580, after a drawing by Giulio Romano (aka Giulio Giannuzzi; Giulio Pippi) (c.1499–1546), published in Rome in c.1580 (between 1547–1612).

Engraving on laid paper, trimmed around the image borderline and backed with a support sheet.

Size: (sheet) 41 x 36.5cm.

TIB 31.26 (Suzanne Boorsch & John Spike [eds.] 1986, “The Illustrated Bartsch: Italian Artists of the Sixteenth Century”, vol. 31, New York, Abaris Books, p. 266, cat. no. 26).

The Rijksmuseum offers the following description of this print: (transl.) “In the background on the right, Elizabeth lies in childbirth and is embraced by one of the women who visit her. Angels hold up the canopy of her bed. In the front left, a group of women are giving the child a bath. From a window in the back wall of the room, God the Father watches the events” (http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.98903).

Diana Scultori is an exceptionally important female figure in the Renaissance and her significance is underlined by being the first woman to obtain the privilege (copyright) to sell her artworks under her own name. Interestingly Scultori changed her name according to the power politics at play at the time with the intention of attracting influential patrons. In short, Scultori’s skill as an engraver, her strategic and flexible use of her identity and having a tight rein on copyright—from memory (and I may be wrong about this) I believe that Scultori even placed the first copyright on a cap design! (albeit a nightcap for men that was decorated with a scene of Delft)—make her a true milestone figure in the history of art.

Condition: a strong and early impression (possibly lifetime impression based on the quality of the line showing no sign of wear to the printing plate) trimmed around the image borderline (following the curve of the upper edge) and laid upon a support of archival (millennium quality) washi paper. The sheet has darkened (or possibly the paper is grey) with many small restorations for fractures, tears and losses, but there are no significant stains.

I am selling this major engraving by one of the most important female artists of the Renaissance period, for the total cost of AU$356 (currently US$235.19/EUR217.71/GBP181.44 at the time of 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$356) as this is my currency.

If you are interested in purchasing this large engraving by arguably one of the savviest business women in the arts during the Renaissance, 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