Titian (c. 1488-1576) (after)
Aegidius Sadeler (etcher)
Marcus Christoph Sadeler (1614-1656) (publisher)
Portraits of Roman Emperors
Flemish: 17th Century
Black and white etchings
14.5 x 9.75 inches, sheet
$5,400, the set of 6
Portraits of Roman Emperors
After Titian, 17th Century
After Titian, 17th Century
Aullus Vitellius, Plate IX |
D. Oct. Augustus, Plate II |
Tiberius Caesar, Plate III |
M. Sylvius Otho, Plate VIII [Salvias Otho, A.D. 32 to 69; Emperor 15 January to |
D. Titus Vespasian, Plate XI [Titus Flacios Vespasianus; A.D. 39 to 81; Emperor A.D. 79 to 81] |
D. Vespasianus Augustus, Plate X [Titus Flavius Vespasianus, A.D. 9 to 79; Emperor A.D. 70 to 79] |
Detail of Plate II
Set of six etchings of Roman emperors based upon a series of 12 portraits by Titian. The emperors are classically posed, dressed in armor and drapery, with objects representing their power including swords and staffs. Below each image is a caption in Latin. Titian created the original series of paintings around 1537-1538 for Duke Federigo Gonzaga, ruler of Mantua. In 1627-1628, the Mantuan government sold the set to Charles I of England. Eventually they ended up in a collection in Spain, where they were all destroyed in a fire in 1734, leaving Aegidius and Marcus Sadeler's etchings as the major record of the appearance of the original paintings. The Sadeler prints from this series are also in the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
Titian (Tiziano Vecellio) is considered one of the greatest painters in the history of European art. He was associated with the Venetian school during the 16th century and produced religious subjects, portraits, allegories and scenes from classical mythology and history. Titian's sensuous, painterly style influenced his contemporaries and later generations of artists.
The Sadelers were a family of Flemish engravers, publishers and printsellers who were active throughout Europe for three generations. There were two Aegidius Sadlers, known as Aegidius I (1580-1601) and Aegidius II (1570-1629); the latter worked for Rudolf II and his successors. Marcus Christoph Sadeler was an engraver and publisher. The Sadeler family played a dominant role in European graphic art, producing a wide range of high quality work.
Condition: Generally very good, rich impressions, with the usual light overall toning and scattered wear. Cut fairly tight to margin, sometimes within plate mark, as is typical for old master prints.
References:
Mbirika, Vincent A. "Provenance of the Portrait of the Roman Emperor Aulus Vitellius Attributed to Titian." http://www.pricelessart.org/additional.html (20 May 2003).
"Sadeler." The Grove Dictionary of Art. New York: Macmillan. 2000. Artnet.com. http://www.artnet.com/library/07/0749/T074900.asp (20 May 2003).
"Titian." The Grove Dictionary of Art. New York: Macmillan. 2000. Artnet.com. http://www.artnet.com/library/08/0852/T085242.asp (20 May 2003).