Pamono Hunting Scene – Original Etching by Antonio Tempesta – Early 17th Century Early 17th Century> Old Masters

Image dimensions: 20.4 x 27.5 cm. Hunting Scene is a wonderful black and white etching on thick laid paper, realized by the Italian master, Antonio Tempesta (1555-1630). Monogramm on plate on lower right corner. On lower margin there the Latin inscriptions on plate: ”Antonius Tempesta invent et sculp. / F.L.D. Il Ciartres excudit Cum Privilegio Regis Christianiss”. As the inscription reports, this etching was printed and published by Ciartres, an Italianisation of the French Chartres, referring to François Langlois (1588-1647), a French publisher and merchants of prints. This original print with lifetime impression describes an incredibly detailed hunting scene in the perfect Baroque style: an Oriental chevalier riding on his horse is wondering with his sward a big boar, already torn by hunting dogs. At the same time some arches are pointing a deer hunted by dogs. Not ever the women escape hunting and they are not mere spectators but active protagonists. In excellent conditions although visible signs of time, light foxing on lower margin, some minor defects on the edges and a usual yellowing of the paper at the edges. On the verso, on lower-left corner a blue ink stamp ”Collezione Pugliese”. Including a cream colored cardboard passepartout, cm 50 x 35. An exciting original print has the dignity of a mythological or epic story, represented with an incredible balance of black and white, light and shadows and a typical baroque dynamism. Antonio Tempesta known as Il Tempestino (Florence, 1555 – Rome, 1630) was an Italian painter and engraver of the early Baroque period. Antonio Tempesta trained in the culture of the late Mannerism, with a naturalistic but also calligraphic taste, acquired from the frequentation of Giovanni Stradano, with whom he collaborated in the decoration of Palazzo Vecchio. Moving to Rome in 1573, he worked for Pope Gregory XIII, frescoing some maps of the Romm of geographical maps in the Vatican, including the famous Map of Rome (1593). In the pontifical capital he worked for many noble families and for important cardinals such as Alessandro Farnese and Scipione Borghese. His works are in San Giovanni dei Fiorentini, at the villa in Caprarola, in Tivoli. He returned to Florence for a brief stay, where he collaborated with Alessandro Allori, Ludovico Buti, Giovan Maria Butteri and Ludovico Cigoli on the decoration of the ceilings of the Uffizi Gallery on the east side, executed with grotesque drawings. When he returned to Rome he devoted himself more and more to engraving, with which he achieved a wide reputation and spread throughout Europe. The 150 Old Testament illustrations known as the Tempest Bible are famous. He was also a talent draftsman, endowed with a particularly scenographic vein, and other artists printed and spread his work in the drawing. This artwork is shipped from Italy. Under existing legislation, any artwork in Italy created over 70 years ago by an artist who has died requires a licence for export regardless of the work’s market price. The shipping may require additional handling days to require the licence according to the final destination of the artwork.