Lot Essay
A preparatory drawing for an engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert of which several states are known. An impression, without any inscriptions, in the Gabinetto Nazionale delle Stampe, Rome, shows the portrait of the Genoese Philppo Spinola, second Marquis de los Balbases, in the medallion supported by three putti, B. Kerber, Addenda zu Giovanni Francesco Romanelli, Giessener Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte, 4, 1979, fig. 18.
While the portrait is not yet present in the drawing, this shows in the lower left corner Spinola's coat-of-arms, also included in the print. The drawing probably dates from 1631 when Spinola was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece. The print was most likely commissioned from Romanelli to commemorate this event.
Dr. Jörg Martin Merz points out in a letter of May 1997 that the drawing 'fits into Romanelli's early years, and is very close in style to Cortona's drawing of The Massacre of the Innocents in the Ratjen Collection, Vaduz', J.M. Merz, Pietro da Cortona, Tübingen, 1991, fig. 338.
Another state of the print in the Kunstmuseum, Düsseldorf (FP. 6998, D), inscribed 'Franc: Romanelli: Viterb: delin: C. Blomaert sculp. Romae', shows the portrait of Pope Alexander VII Chigi in the medallion. This print served as the frontispiece of Marius Spinola's book Argonautarum Sapientiae sub Alexandri Septimi Sapientissimi Principis Auspiciis expeditio felix Musicis Concentibus Celebrata, published in Rome in 1656.
Romanelli's composition was used for three further prints, executed for different patrons, which are mentioned in B. Kerber, Ergänzungen zu Romanelli, Giessener Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte, 6, 1983, p. 52.
We are very grateful to Dr. Jörg Martin Merz for confirming the attribution of the drawing to Romanelli and for his help in cataloguing it.
While the portrait is not yet present in the drawing, this shows in the lower left corner Spinola's coat-of-arms, also included in the print. The drawing probably dates from 1631 when Spinola was awarded the Order of the Golden Fleece. The print was most likely commissioned from Romanelli to commemorate this event.
Dr. Jörg Martin Merz points out in a letter of May 1997 that the drawing 'fits into Romanelli's early years, and is very close in style to Cortona's drawing of The Massacre of the Innocents in the Ratjen Collection, Vaduz', J.M. Merz, Pietro da Cortona, Tübingen, 1991, fig. 338.
Another state of the print in the Kunstmuseum, Düsseldorf (FP. 6998, D), inscribed 'Franc: Romanelli: Viterb: delin: C. Blomaert sculp. Romae', shows the portrait of Pope Alexander VII Chigi in the medallion. This print served as the frontispiece of Marius Spinola's book Argonautarum Sapientiae sub Alexandri Septimi Sapientissimi Principis Auspiciis expeditio felix Musicis Concentibus Celebrata, published in Rome in 1656.
Romanelli's composition was used for three further prints, executed for different patrons, which are mentioned in B. Kerber, Ergänzungen zu Romanelli, Giessener Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte, 6, 1983, p. 52.
We are very grateful to Dr. Jörg Martin Merz for confirming the attribution of the drawing to Romanelli and for his help in cataloguing it.