GIOVANNI BATTISTA SCULTORI (1503-1575) AFTER GIULIO ROMANO (CIRCA 1499-1546)

Interior of a Prison

Details

GIOVANNI BATTISTA SCULTORI (1503-1575) AFTER GIULIO ROMANO (CIRCA 1499-1546)
Interior of a Prison
engraving, circa 1536-43, on laid paper, watermark Coronet in a Circle (not in Briquet or Haewood), a very good impression of this rare print, Lewis's second state (of five), with Giulio Romano's initials added at lower left, trimmed on or just inside the platemark but retaining a narrow strip of blank paper outside the borderline, a fillet of blank paper added at the left sheet edge, the lower right corner re-attached, a short repaired tear at lower left, otherwise in good condition
Sheet 278 x 421 mm.

Provenance

Unidentified, blindstamp with a star and letter G (not in Lugt).
Giancarlo Beltrame (1925-2011), Vicenza; then by descent to the present owners.

Literature

Bartsch XV, 412. 66; Lewis & Lewis R 8 (as not by G. Ghisi)

Lot Essay

The attribution of this print has been the subject of much speculation. It was long thought to be by Giorgio Ghisi - or even by the German engraver Georg Pencz - but is now generally accepted to be by Giovanni Battista Scultori, who was probably the young Giorgio Ghisi's master. A preparatory drawing by Giulio Romano survives in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle (Inv. No. 0483), which in turn is related to a small fresco in the Sala dei Venti at the Palazzo del Te, Mantua.

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