D ASCANI

Details of the decoration of the Piccolomini Library

published 1845

Etching with engraving and hand colouring | 42.3 x 54.2 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 853745

A hand-coloured print depicting various details of the decoration of the Piccolomini Library, painted by Pinturicchio and his workshop (1502-07/08) with the aid of preparatory drawings by Raphael in Siena Cathedral. Lettered with title in German and French and publication details, and numbered within the plate at top right: XII. Plate XII of Ludwig Gruner's Fresco decorations and stuccoes of churches and palaces in Italy during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries (1844). On watermarked paper, and annotated in ink on the verso.

The decoration of the Piccolomini library was commissioned by Cardinal Francesco Todeschino Piccolomini (later Pope Pius III) in 1502 from Raphael's older Perugian contemporary Pinturicchio. The frescoes illustrate events in the life of Pope Pius II (Enea Silvio Piccolomini), the Cardinal's uncle. Vasari credited Raphael with executing 'some drawings and some cartoons' for the library at the express request of Pinturicchio. Scholarly opinion has been divided over the attribution of preparatory drawings for the frescoes, but at least five drawings convincingly related to the decorative scheme are considered to be by Raphael (see Bibliographic References).

Gruner's volume was dedicated to Prince Albert and the members of the Royal Commission on Fine Arts, who in 1844 were engaged in directing the decoration of the New Palace of Westminster in fresco.

Creator(s)

D Ascani (printmaker)

E. Salandri (fl.1863) (printmaker)

After Bernardino Pinturicchio (c. 1452-1513) (artist)

Bartolommeo Bartoccini (1816-82) (designer)

Ludwig Grüner (1801-82) (editor)

Murray, John :Albermarle St., London (publisher)

P & D Colnaghi : 13/14, Pall Mall East. (publisher)

Hering & Remington, 137 Regent Street. (publisher)

Subject(s)

Pope Pius II (1405-64)
watermark: J WHATMAN / 1845 [bottom right]

watermark: TURKEY MILL [top right]

annotation: L[illegible] Alone [verso, centre, in ink]
42.3 x 54.2 cm (sheet of paper)

35.0 x 44.1 cm (platemark)
Wandmalereien der Libreria im Dom zu Siena

Décorations de la Libreria de la Cathédrale de Sienne
Added to the Prince Consort's Raphael Collection (c.1853-76)
Subject(s)
- Arts, Recreation, Entertainment & Sport
  Architecture
  Architectural design
  Architectural decoration & motifs
Object type(s)
Bibliographic reference(s)

Chapman/Plazzotta/Henry 2004 : Chapman, H, Plazzotta, C, Henry, T. Raphael. From Urbino to Rome. London, 2004 pp.23-26

Joannides 1983 : Joannides, P., 1983. The Drawings of Raphael, with a complete catalogue, Oxford nos 56-61

Other number(s)

Ruland p.263 A.2

Details of the decoration of the Piccolomini Library

Creator(s)

Subject(s)

Subject(s)

Object type(s)

Bibliographic reference(s)

Other number(s)

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