COPPERPLATE ENGRAVING – “MARY WITH THE CHILD” from the original painting by Bartolomeo Ramenghi Bagnacavallo, engraved by Lutz, printed in the mid 1800’s.  The means by which a copperplate is engraved gives it more detail and depth to the picture.  Copperplate engravings are seen as the most perfect means of reproducing a painting or other forms of visual art, thus giving it the most artistic value of any form of engraving.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The actual engraving measures 9 1/8” x 7 7/8”, and is matted to 16” x 20” for easy framing. 

     Raphael produced a magic influence on art.  Pupils from all parts of Italy crowded round the painter of Urbino.  Even artists who had already a certain independent position yielded to his superior genius.  Raphael’s spirit continued to prevail in his school for some time after his death.  The highly gifted Bartolomeo Ramenghi, from his birthplace called Bagnacavallo, is one of those painters who, after having been pupils of Francesco Francia, joined the school of Raphael.  He is, next to Timoteo della Vite, the most conspicuous among them.  His works are of unequal value.  Excellent pictures of his are in Bologna; but as the best of them may be considered his great altar-piece, which forms part of the Dresden Gallery.  The four saints, Geminianus, Petrus, Paulus and Antoninus, are standing in a thoughtful attitude, in statue like repose, in the midst of a verdant country scenery surrounded by trees.  Over their head Mary and Holy Child, with angels around them, are enthroned on clouds.  The figures of the saints are of noble and dignified character, especially that of St. Paul, which has something of the manner of Raphael about it.  Also the Madonna and above all the Child are of great beauty.  Most graceful in His form and attitude, the Infant Christ is leaning affectionately on His mother, and with the unaffected expression of all-embracing love in His face he raises His right hand, pointing to heaven above, our eternal home.  The picture excels, however not only by its noble and correct outlines, but also by its powerful and harmonious colour and severe treatment, which has been the cause of suspecting Bagnacavallo not to be the author of this picture.  It was formerly in the convent dei Pelligrini in Bologna, and was bought for the Dresden Gallery in 1755, at the price of 300 ducats in gold, and an additional sum to be paid for another similar picture, to be put into the place which it had occupied.  It is curious enough that for this picture 400 ducats had to be expended.  However, the price of this beautiful picture is still a very moderate one.  The purchase of this work closes the epoch of the most splendid acquisition made for the Dresden Gallery.  It was the last valuable work of art that king Augustus III ordered to be bought.  The beginning of the 7 years’ was put a stop to any further acquisition, and after the death of that art-loving king no new additions were made to the Gallery for a long time to come.

                                                                                    By Carl Clauss

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, 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, and lithographs 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 its age.