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Studies

Studies

GÉRARD AUDRAN (1640-1703)

A dance of fauns and bacchantes

c.1670-1703

Etching | 18.4 x 36.9 cm (sheet of paper) | RCIN 854580

An etching copying in reverse the left half of an engraving by Agostino Veneziano depicting a dance of three fauns and three bacchantes probably after a drawing copying an antique bas-relief. This print is signed by the printmaker and lettered with the attribution of the drawing to Raphael. Trimmed within the platemark.

According to Massari (see Bibliographic References), the print by Agostino that Bartsch catalogued as the original is actually a copy after Marcantonio's print (see RCIN 854579 for the print by Marcantonio and RCIN 854576 for the print by Agostino). Only the left half of Marcantonio's print is known, which could suggest that Agostino extended the composition to include the other three figures on the right.

Massari (see Bibliographic References) recognised various drawings as the possible source of Marcantonio's and Agostino's prints: a drawing after Raphael now in the Royal Library, Windsor (RCIN 990331, see also RCIN 854583), a drawing in the Albertina Museum, Vienna (inv. no. 217, see RCIN 854581 for a photograph of it) currently attributed to either Raphael or Giulio Romano; another drawing of a bacchante and a faun is in the Louvre, Paris (inv. no. 5001), previously attributed to Battista Franco and now believed to be by Giulio Romano on the basis of another drawing's attribution in the Louvre (inv. no. 5002).

According to S. Ferino (see Bibliographic References) the various drawings could be studies intended for grotesque decorations, either the frescoes of Cardinal Bibiena's Loggetta (c.1516) or the Logge (c.1516 -1518/19) in the Vatican. For the drawing now in the Louvre (inv. no. 5001) it is specified that this is inspired by the characters of a relief of the 1st century (now in Mantua, Palazzo Ducale, inv. no. 6705).
  • Creator(s)

    Gérard Audran (1640-1703) (etcher)

    After Agostino dei Musi (c. 1490-after 1536) (engraver)

    After a work associated with Marcantonio Raimondi (c. 1480-1534) (engraver)

    After? Raphael (Urbino 1483-Rome 1520) (draughtsman)

    After? Giulio Romano (Rome c. 1499-Mantua 1546) (draughtsman)

  • 18.4 x 36.9 cm (sheet of paper)

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

  • Subject(s)
    • Arts, Recreation, Entertainment & Sport
      • Theatre
        • Dance
      • Music
        • Musical instruments
          • Woodwind instruments
            • Flutes
          • Brass instruments
            • Trumpets
  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    p. 243, no. III, 1-2 (entries written 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)
    p. 332, no. 484 (Cordellier/Py 1992 : Raphael : son atelier, ses copistes, 1992 / par Dominique Cordellier et Bernadette Py, Paris (Inventaire general des dessins Italiens ; V / sous la direction de Francoise Viatte))