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Print

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

This print belongs to a set of nine engravings showing designs for objects to be made in metalwork such as ewers, candlesticks, tureens, etc. The series was traditionally attributed to René Boyvin, a French engraver, etcher and designer of the Fontainebleau school. The school is named for the circle of artists involved in the decoration of the French royal château of Fontainebleau, built from 1528 near Paris under the patronage of Francis I. Their work is often characterised by intricate ornamentation and the use of mythological settings. The print has now also been ascribed to Pierre Milan and to Antonio Fantuzzi, artists also associated with Fontainebleau. The artist who drew the original designs for the prints was long thought to be Rosso Fiorentino, the Italian Mannerist painter and draughtsman who worked at Fontainebleau between 1530 and 1540 and drew designs for goldsmiths while he was there. But it has also been suggested that it was in fact Léonard Thiry, a Flemish painter and draughtsman who worked as Rosso’s assistant at Fontainebleau. Nevertheless, the influence of Rosso Fiorentino in these prints is very strong.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Engraving print on paper
Brief description
René Boyvin, Pierre Milan or Antonio Fantuzzi, attributed to. Design for two ewers. One of eight plates from a suite of nine designs for metalwork objects. France, 1540-1560.
Physical description
Design for two ewers. On the paunch of the left ewer, we can see the Birth of Venus. On the paunch of the right one, we can see the Triumph of Neptune. Both are decorated with pearls, jewels and strapwork, crabs, frogs, lobsters, putti and grotesque masks. Engraving from a set of nine prints showing designs for objects in metalwork. Attributed to René Boyvin, Pierre Milan or Antonio Fantuzzi after designs by Rosso Fiorentino or Léonard Thiry; mid 16th century. Inscribed: 'Cum privilegio regis'.
Dimensions
  • Cut to height: 14.2cm
  • Cut to width: 18.5cm
Style
Marks and inscriptions
Lettered in the lower centre of the plate: 'Cum privilegio regis'
Historical context
This print belongs to a set of nine engravings showing designs for objects in metalwork such as ewers, tazza, nefs, etc. The series was traditionally attributed to René Boyvin. It has now also been ascribed to Pierre Milan and to Antonio Fantuzzi (Zerner, L’Ecole de Fontainebleau, 1972, no. 438; Brugerolles, Le dessin en France au XVIe siècle: dessins et miniatures des collections de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, 1994, pp. 104-106). As to the artist who drew the models for the prints, it was long thought to be Rosso Fiorentino, due to Vasari’s statement that Rosso, during his stay in France, had drawn designs for goldsmiths. But Jessen in 1920 (Der Ornamentstich) and Kusenberg, in 1933 (‘Autour de Rosso,’ in La Gazette des Beaux-Arts, X, 1933, pp. 158-72), suggested, among others, that it was in fact Léonard Thiry. E. A. Carroll in The Drawings of Rosso Fiorentino (1976, pp. 413-414) confirmed this hypothesis. Nevertheless, the influence of Rosso in these prints is very strong.
Production
Attributed to Pierre Milan. Attributed to René Boyvin. Attributed to Antonio Fantuzzi.
Subjects depicted
Place depicted
Summary
This print belongs to a set of nine engravings showing designs for objects to be made in metalwork such as ewers, candlesticks, tureens, etc. The series was traditionally attributed to René Boyvin, a French engraver, etcher and designer of the Fontainebleau school. The school is named for the circle of artists involved in the decoration of the French royal château of Fontainebleau, built from 1528 near Paris under the patronage of Francis I. Their work is often characterised by intricate ornamentation and the use of mythological settings. The print has now also been ascribed to Pierre Milan and to Antonio Fantuzzi, artists also associated with Fontainebleau. The artist who drew the original designs for the prints was long thought to be Rosso Fiorentino, the Italian Mannerist painter and draughtsman who worked at Fontainebleau between 1530 and 1540 and drew designs for goldsmiths while he was there. But it has also been suggested that it was in fact Léonard Thiry, a Flemish painter and draughtsman who worked as Rosso’s assistant at Fontainebleau. Nevertheless, the influence of Rosso Fiorentino in these prints is very strong.
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. 11 v. Vol. VIII, no. 171.
  • Jessen, Peter. Der Ornamentstich; Geschichte der Vorlagen des Kunsthandwerks seit dem Mittelalter, von Peter Jessen. Berlin, Verlag für Kunstwissenschaft m.b.h., 1920. 384 p., illus.
  • Kusenberg, Kurt. Autour de Rosso. La Gazette des Beaux-Arts, X, 1933, p. 171.
  • Zerner, Henri. L'Ecole de Fontainebleau. 1972. No. 438.
  • Carroll, Eugene. A. The Drawings of Rosso Fiorentino. New York: Garland Publications, 1976. 2 v., ill. ISBN 0824019822. pp. 413-414.
Collection
Accession number
E.1025-1908

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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