Artist: Michelangelo da Caravaggio (Italian, 1571-1610). Best known for his dramatic effects of light and dark in his paintings.
Engraver: Nicolas de Larmessin III (French, 1684-1755).
Title: Portrait d'Adolphe de Vignacourt Grand Maître de Malthe (Portrait of Alof de Wignacourt, 54th Grand Master of the Knights of St John).
Titled, Dated, and Signed in plate: Portrait d'Adolphe de Vignacourt Grand Maître de Malthe. Tableau de Michel-Ange Merigi, dit le Caravage, qui est dans le Cabinet du Roy / Peint sur toile, haut de 6 pieds, large de 3 pieds 11 pouces, gravé par Nicolas de Larmessin [numbered on plate, lower right] '92'.
Dimensions: Platemark 16" x 10 1/2". Sheet 21 1/4" x 16".
Edition: Joseph Antoine de Crozat, Marquis de Tugny. Recueil d'Estampes d'après les plus beaux Tableaux et d'après les plus beaux Desseins qui sont en France dans le Cabinet du Roy, dans celuy de Monseigneur le Duc d'Orléans, & dans d'autres Cabinets, Tome Second. Paris, 1742.
Materials and Techniques: Etching and engraving on laid paper.
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.
Watermark: yes.
Condition: Left edge has cuts and holes from a binding cord. Wear to edges. Clean, bright impression. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Part of: [Known as the Cabinet de Crozat or Recueil de Crozat, Volume 2, No. 92].
Date: 1742.
Museums and Libraries: The British Museum 1855,0609.173. Philadelphia Museum of Art 1985-52-28513 as Nicolas de Larmessin IV. Museo di Capodimonte via Catalogo generale dei Beni Culturali 1500345877 as Nicolas Larmessin Il Vecchio.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: French School XVIII C. Italian School XVI C.
Notes:
- The order was founded in the 12th century in Jerusalem but its base of operations moved successively to Rhodes and then to Malta. Until 1309 members were known as the Hospitallers of Jerusalem; 1309 -1522, as the Knights of Rhodes; from 1522, as the Knights of Malta.
- The portrait executed by Caravaggio c.1608 was acquired by Louis XIV and entered the French royal collection in 1670. The engraving is in reverse.
- This entry incorporates text from Wikipedia and the catalog entry of a similar item from the British Museum collection.