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Jupiter

Print
1540-1560 (engraved)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This engraving belongs to a set of twenty prints attributed to René Boyvin and his workshop. But it has been suggested that they could perhaps be by Pierre Milan, since it is quite unusual for Boyvin not to sign his work. Depictions of the Greek and Roman divinities were quite common in the 16th century, as were grotesques. But to represent the Roman gods surrounded by grotesques, and with such details, makes this set a very original one.

The original drawings were made by Léonard Thiry in the middle of the sixteenth century, as the inscription on the first plate ‘Leonardus Theodoricus inventor’ demonstrates. They were once attributed to Rosso Fiorentino and his influence is quite strong in this set. Indeed Rosso himself drew a series of Gods in Niches engraved by Caraglio. In both series, gods and goddesses are set up in traditional pairs, such as Pluto and Proserpina, Ariadne and Bacchus; furthermore Thiry’s compositions are often extremely reminiscent of Rosso’s. For example, Saturn is shown in the same posture, devouring one of his children, in both sets.

The four prints showing Neptune, Thetis, Hercules and Hebe are very rare, and unlike the others, they are unnumbered.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Titles
  • Jupiter (popular title)
  • Set of 20 grotesque panels, containing Roman divinities (series title)
Materials and techniques
Engraving on paper
Brief description
René Boyvin or Pierre Milan, after Léonard Thiry. Plate from a suite of 20 grotesque panels with Roman gods. France, 1540-1560.
Physical description
Engraving from a set of twenty prints depicting grotesque panels containing Roman divinities. Jupiter (plate 3). Jupiter is riding an eagle standing on a globe. The god is crowned by two terms. Attributed to René Boyvin or Pierre Milan, after Léonard Thiry; mid 16th century. Numbered and lettered with a Latin inscription. Numbered '3'. Lettered with a Latin inscription: 'Iupiter ut ferus est, eius sic fulmen et ales,'.
Dimensions
  • Cut to height: 16.9cm
  • Cut to width: 10.0cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
  • Numbered '3' in the upper centre of the plate. (Numbered.)
  • Lettered in the lower margin of the plate: 'Iupiter ut ferus est, eius sic fulmen et ales,' (Lettered with a Latin inscription.)
Historical context
This engraving belongs to a set of twenty prints attributed to René Boyvin and his workshop. But Henri Zerner (L’Ecole de Fontainebleau, 1972, p. 332, no.434) suggested that they could perhaps be by Pierre Milan, since it is quite unusual for Boyvin not to sign his work. Depictions of the Greek and Roman divinities were quite common in the 16th century, as were grotesques. But to represent the Roman gods surrounded by grotesques, and with such details, makes this set a very original one.

The original drawings were made by Léonard Thiry in the middle of the sixteenth century, as the inscription on the first plate ‘Leonardus Theodoricus inventor’ demonstrates. An old attribution to Rosso exists due to the fact that the name of Léonard Thiry was scratched and replaced with the inscription ‘maitre Rous’ by a fraudulent publisher. Nevertheless, Rosso’s influence is quite strong in this set. Indeed Rosso himself drew a series of Gods in Niches engraved by Caraglio (Bartsch illustrated, 28, pp. 116-165). In both series, gods and goddesses are set up in traditional pairs, such as Pluto and Proserpina, Ariadne and Bacchus; furthermore Thiry’s compositions are often extremely reminiscent of Rosso’s. For example, Saturn is shown in the same posture, devouring one of his children, in both sets.

The four prints showing Neptune, Thetis, Hercules and Hebe are very rare, and unlike the others, they are unnumbered.
Production
Attributed to René Boyvin. But the set has also been attributed to Pierre Milan.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
This engraving belongs to a set of twenty prints attributed to René Boyvin and his workshop. But it has been suggested that they could perhaps be by Pierre Milan, since it is quite unusual for Boyvin not to sign his work. Depictions of the Greek and Roman divinities were quite common in the 16th century, as were grotesques. But to represent the Roman gods surrounded by grotesques, and with such details, makes this set a very original one.

The original drawings were made by Léonard Thiry in the middle of the sixteenth century, as the inscription on the first plate ‘Leonardus Theodoricus inventor’ demonstrates. They were once attributed to Rosso Fiorentino and his influence is quite strong in this set. Indeed Rosso himself drew a series of Gods in Niches engraved by Caraglio. In both series, gods and goddesses are set up in traditional pairs, such as Pluto and Proserpina, Ariadne and Bacchus; furthermore Thiry’s compositions are often extremely reminiscent of Rosso’s. For example, Saturn is shown in the same posture, devouring one of his children, in both sets.

The four prints showing Neptune, Thetis, Hercules and Hebe are very rare, and unlike the others, they are unnumbered.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Robert-Dumesnil, A. P. F. Le peintre-graveur français, ou Catalogue raisonné des estampes gravées par les peintres et les dessinateurs de l'école française. Ouvrage faisant suite au Peintre-graveur de M. Bartsch. Par A.-P.-F. Robert-Dumesnil. Paris: G. Warée, 1835-71. Vol. VIII, no. 121.
  • Zerner, Henri. L'Ecole de Fontainebleau, gravures. 1972. p. 332, no.434.
  • Strauss, Walter L., ed. The Illustrated Bartsch, 28, Commentary: Italian Masters of the Sixteenth Century. New York: Abaris Books, 1995. pp. 116-165.
Collection
Accession number
27446:4

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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