Artist: Giovanni Battista de' Cavalieri (Italian, c.1525-1601), engraver, printer, and print publisher. Made plates for Antonio Salamanca, Lafreri and Faleti. By 1560 he seems to have been publishing his own plates. He published a number of important series... [including] 'Antiquarum Statuarum Urbis Romae', the first book of which was first published before 1561/2 (Books 1 and 2 together, before 1584; Books 3 and 4 in 1594).
Title: Marsyas. Plate 85 (Book 1). The Statue of Marsyas hanging on the tree as he is going to be flayed by Apollo. Marble, a Roman copy of the 1st-2nd century after a Hellenistic original. Found in Rome, Italy. Currently in the Louvre.
Titled, Dated, and Signed in plate: Marsyae signum a marmore mira arte factum in aedibus Valensibus Romae (Marsya's statue was made of marble with wonderful art in the Palace of Valensi in Rome) [No] 85.
Dimensions: Image/plate 9 1/8" x 5 1/4". Sheet 11" x 8 1/4".
Publisher: Giovanni Battista de' Cavalieri.
Edition: Antiquarum statuarum urbis Romae.
Date: 1584 - 1585.
Materials and Techniques: engraving on laid paper.
Watermark: unicorn head on a shield.
Provenance: The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965-2000.
Condition: Torn from a book, scattered foxing to the upper margin. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Part of: Antiquarum statuarum urbis Romae. Book 1, Plate 85.
Museums and Libraries: Bergamo (BG), Accademia Carrara. Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe 00621784.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: Italian School XVI C.
Notes:
- This entry incorporates text from Wikipedia, the catalog entry of a similar item from the Accademia Carrara collection, and
Bollettino d'Arte. III. -L"'ANTIQUARUM STATUARUM URBIS ROMAE" FRA ANTICHITÀ E COLLEZIONISMO. N29 Marsia. pp. 64-67.