Live Auction 21481Old Master and 19th Century Prints
MARCANTONIO RAIMONDI (1480-1534) AFTER RAPHAEL (1483-1520)
Lot 44 PROPERTY OF THE LATE PROFESSOR ERIC STANLEY

MARCANTONIO RAIMONDI (1480-1534) AFTER RAPHAEL (1483-1520)

Saint Paul preaching in Athens

Closed24 January 2023

Price Realised

USD 1,764

Considering selling a similar item?

Discover its value with a complimentary estimate from our specialists.

More Information

Conditions of Sale
How to sell

MARCANTONIO RAIMONDI (1480-1534) AFTER RAPHAEL (1483-1520)
Saint Paul preaching in Athens
engraving, circa 1517-20, on laid paper, watermark Greek Cross (Briquet 5392; first recorded in 1527), a very good impression, trimmed to or just inside the borderline, some creasing and thin spots, otherwise in good condition
Sheet 265 x 349 mm.

With Colnaghi & Co., London (inscribed 43 in pencil verso); their catalogue Mannerism and the North European Tradition: Prints from c.1520-1630, 14 March to 11 April 1974, London, no. 43.
Eric G. Stanley (1913-2018), Oxford; acquired from the above in 1974.

Specialist note

This engraving depicts Saint Paul while preaching his sermon in the Aeropagus, the ancient court in Athens, although the setting recalls Roman ruins, with a statue of Mars discernible on the right, presumably a reference to the Saint preaching against the sin of idol worship. It has been assumed that Marcantonio's engraving derives from one of Raphael's cartoons commissioned by Pope Leo X for the Sistine Chapel. However, the print is in fact based on two drawings by Raphael (one in the Uffizi, inv. no. 540 E; and one in the Louvre, inv. no. 3884r), which include details not present in Raphael's cartoon.