The Madonna of the Rosary
Giulio Carpioni (1613-1679), The Madonna of the Rosary, etching, c. 1645. Reference: Bartsch 6 (Bartsch 6 TIB (Commentary) .006.), second state of 3, before the number bottom right. On old laid paper with a large Shield watermark. In generally good condition, trimmed on or just into the platemark, replaced upper left corner, nick at upper right, small ink number bottom right. [With the signature in the plate lower right, address of the printer Matteo Cadorin (of Padua) at left].
A very good dark impression of this great rarity.
Carpioni was born in Venice, studied at an early age in Bergamo, then returned to Venice where he established his reputation as a painter, taking on important commissions, working in a manner closer to the classicism of Poussin than the High Baroque tradition of Venice at that time. He traveled a bit, settling in Verona where he probably learned etching, possibly from Simone Cantarini who was active in Verona from about 1642.
Carpioni did not make many etchings, and although his draughtsmanship was splendid, his skill as an etcher was not; etching was probably just an avocation for him. The early impressions that he printed (possibly personally) were quite flawed (inconsistent inking, overbiting of the plate, improper printing pressure). These are even rarer than the still-scarce second state impressions,which were printed by printer Matteo Cadorin. These impressions – ours is an example – were more professionally rendered – the inking is strong and clear. In a later third state of this print a number was printed on the sheet (here there is a number on the sheet (“1000″) but it’s written by hand in ink.