STEEL ENGRAVING - From the original painting by Annabale Caracci in the National Gallery in London, England. As described in Pictures of the Great Masters, 1840.  Engraved by J. Mitchell.  Measurements page size 10 5/8" x 8", engraving 3 7/8" x 6 1/4", and matted to 9" x 12" for easy framing.

ANNIBALE   CARACCI

"SILENUS GATHERING GRAPES"

            The practice of Annibale Caracci was not more invariably conformable to that system of principles which was been stigmatised with the epithets of electric and heterogeneous, than the conduct of most men is uniformly accordant with their moral professions.  Not only his practice but his principles appear to have varied- we will not say vacillated-from time to time, as his mind became progressively informed.  It was natural to expect this, and it is far more interesting to trace its progress and changes, than it is just to stigmatise, or impute to this distinguished artist “deficiency of sensibility and judgement.”

   In a letter from Annibale, written to his uncle Lodovico during his professional travels, he affirms with on oath, notwithstanding that “the terrible manner of Michael Angelo, and the just symmetry of Raphael” were then regarded as elementary in their Bolognese Academy, that ‘Coreggio and Titian are the only true painters.”  But this might only have been in the momentary fervour of his admiration of certain of their performances, which were then new to him; for in the decoration of his friend’s harpsichord, produced soon afterward, and of which the present picture of Silenus gathering grapes was one, (and his Pan instructing Apollo in the use of his newly- invented, syrinx, another) Raphael; whom in the same letter he appears to abjure, is quite as much imitated as Titian, and more than Coreggio.  It is, indeed, a good deal in the Arabesque taste of those chambers of the Vatican which Raphael and his pupils decorated in this fanciful manner.  It is divided into three compartments- the central one being the most spacious-by the ascending stems of young trees, around which climbs the gadding grapevine, forming a canopy above, from which the fruit hangs here and there in pendant bunches.

  In the side compartments are introduced little Genii or Zephir-boys, as if sporting among the vine foliage, which from a fine contrast to the corpulent and unwieldy Silenus.  In the more ample central compartment, is a well-composed and ably-drawn, group, consisting of two Fauns, or sylvan men of the forest, who in the skin of a leopard or tiger, which appears to have formed his nocturnal couch bear aloft the sage preceptor of the God of wine, so that he may have the pleasure of gathering his own fruit.

   The picture, painted “a Colla,” was formerly in the Lancelotti Palace, and came into the National Gallery with the rest of the collection of the Rev.W. Holwell Carr.

Antique prints, etchings, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, lithographs, ect. are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated in the auction, thus giving the buyer an idea of it's age. 

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