1721 Copper Engraving Portrait Marcantonio Memmo Doge Republic Venice Italy EUM2

This is an original 1721 black and white copper engraving of "M. Antonius Memus Doge." This is a portrait of Marcantonio Memmo, the 91st Doge of Venice, reigning from 1612 to 1615. The Doge of Venice, which is often mistranslated as "Duke," was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice. The Doge was the senior-most elected official of Venice and Genoa, as both cities were republics and elected Doges. The portrait is surrounded by a wonderful decorative motif mimicking a frame against a wonderfully etched background. It features two lions flanking a cherub resting above an angelic face at the top of the print. From the corners appears a cascading grape vine design that flows downward, undulating past two grotesque heads, and framing the sides of the portrait. Upon the base of the frame two dragons sit at the corners, while an ornate, broach-like oval is found in the center, flanked by two additional cherubs. This piece is accompanied by the original German biographical text printed on a separate sheet and features a decorative drop cap and an exquisite vignette comprised of an ornate botanical design.

CONDITION

This 290+ year old Item is rated Very Fine +++. Light foxing and aging - top margin. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. No water damage. Please note: There is a plate impression bordering the image in this print and there is light offsetting from the facing page on the accompanying text print.

• Product Type: Original Copper Engraving; Black / White
• Grade: Very Fine +++
• Dimensions: Approximately 8 x 13.5 inches; 20 x 34 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

Period Paper is pleased to offer an extremely rare and impressive early eighteenth century collection of biographies and portrait engravings and etchings, produced in Leipzig, Germany in 1721 and 1722. Included are notable monarchs, rulers, religious figures, and members of notable Houses throughout Europe, including several genealogical charts of dynastic lines, spanning the sixteenth to early eighteenth centuries. The collection is comprised of exquisitely engraved and etched copper portrait plates framed by varying decorative motifs, all engraved by Johann Friedrich Rosbach. Many of the portraits include separate biographical pieces ranging in length from a single paragraph to several pages for more notable European monarchs and emperors. If present, the accompanying text is in German and is composed of beautiful woodcut text, with most pages containing elegantly etched drop cap initials, head-and tail-pieces and vignettes. The superb, folio-sized stock upon which the collection is engraved and etched employed the latest advances in eighteenth century paper making and highlights the era's predilection for strong, lightly sized paper with a fine structure and smooth surface. The paper's characteristics are thus similar to Japanese Gampi, and the result is well-preserved and crisp images that exceptionally capture Rosbach's fluid and sharp line work. This collection represents a unique opportunity to collect a valuable part of European history stunningly composed and illustrated.

This piece was illustrated by Rosbach, Johann Friedrich .

Keywords specific to this image: Ottoman Wars, Turkish Wars, Holy Roman Empire, European History, Italian History, Holy Roman Church, Catholic Church

EUM2C21 zz10000