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History & Battles

History & Battles

MARCANTONIO RAIMONDI (C. 1480-1534)

The Plague [The Morbetto]

c.1515-16

Engraving | 18.9 x 24.7 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 852188

This engraving, traditionally known as 'Il Morbetto', depicts an episode taken from Canto III of the Aeneid, as attested by the Latin verses lettered at top left and lower centre (verse 140f.). Lettered with attribution of the design to Raphael on a stone at right: INV[ENIT] RAP[HAEL] VR[BINAS]. Signed with the engraver's monogram just below. Second state of five.

A fully developed drawing in the Uffizi (inv.525 E) is acknowledged as the modello upon which Marcantonio's engraving was based, in reverse. Its attribution is ongoing matter of dispute, with some scholars ascribing it to Raphael (Ferino Pagden 1984, Clayton 1999) and others to his workshop. Another drawing, unanimously given to Raphael (c.1512) and currently housed in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle (RCIN 990117), is related to the composition, although it may not have been made expressly for the engraving. For further discussion, see Bibliographic References.

  • Creator(s)

    Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1480-1534) (engraver)

    After Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (designer)

  • 18.9 x 24.7 cm (sheet of paper)

  • Added to the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1853-76)

  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    pp.118-19, no.31 (entry by Carolyn H. Wood) (Shoemaker/Broun 1981 : I. Shoemaker and E. Broun. The Engravings of Marcantonio Raimondi 1981 : Spencer Museum of Art; The Ackland Art Museum, 1981)

    pp.308-10, no.16a (Ferino Pagden 1984 : Ferino Pagden, S. , 1984, in Raffaello a Firenze. Dipinti e disegni delle collezioni fiorentine, Milan)

    p.338, no.15 (entry by Pierrette Jean-Richard) (Raphael dans les collections françaises 1983 : Hommage a Raphael. Raphael dans les collections françaises: (Galeries nationales du Grand Palais, Paris, 15 novembre 1983-13 fevrier 1984), Paris)

    p.233, no.III.1 (entry by Stefania Massari) (Raphael Invenit 1985 : Bernini Pezzini, G. et al., 1985. Raphael Invenit. Stampe di Raffaello nelle Collezioni dell'Istituto Nazionale per la Grafica, Rome)

    pp.96-8, under no.24 (Clayton 1999 : Clayton, M. Raphael and his Circle. Drawings from Windsor Castle, London)

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