Pensieri Diversi Lineati Et Intagliati D'Anibale Caracci.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
03/2194
Imprint
[S.l.:]: Si vendano presso Venanzio Monaldini, [ca. 1776?]
Physical Description
Title-pl., frontis. (port.), XXXVIII pl.; 322 mm.
General Note
Pl. XXXV is misnumbered as XXXVII. Some copies are printed 'alla sanguina'.
Responsibility Note
The title-plate is falsely signed as etched by Bloemart. The frontispiece portrait of Annibale Carracci is falsely captioned as drawn and engraved by himself. Although pl. I-XXXVIII are signed 'A.C. In.' (apart from plate XXXIV, which is signed 'A.C.F.'), creating a deliberately misleading impression that they were etched by Carracci himself, all these plates had in fact already appeared in an edition published by Vincenzo Belli in Rome at the beginning of the 18th century (Opere diverse di Annibale Carracci, 60 pl.). There they are mostly signed 'M.A.B.' or 'M.A.B. I.' and in one instance (pl. 39) 'Marcus Antonius, Bellavia in. et pr. Rome' (for further details s.v. 'Marcantonio Bellavia', Dizionario biografico degli italiani, 1970, vol. VII, p. 619).
Summary Note
The plates are not captioned or explained. Most show Christian themes (the Holy Family, saints &c.); a few are of pagan subjects. The first plate shows St Luke painting an image of the Mother of God.
Provenance
Purchased from Francesco Sastres for 10s. 6d. on 19 April 1788 (see his invoice made out to Sir William Chambers 'for books sent to Mr. Wilton for the Royal Academy').
Binding Note
18th-century half calf, marbled-papered boards; bound for the Royal Academy by John Miller in 1788 (see his bill for 3s. 6d. dated 13 July 1788); rebacked in 1996 by James Brockman, retaining original red morocco spine-label lettered 'Pensieri Diversi'.