E.49 Delaune, Narcissus

Engraving by Étienne Delaune, 5.9 x 3.8 L, including margin at bottom of 0.5 (Paris, Ed 4).  Inscribed in the margin below: QVOD CVPIO MECVM EST, / INOPEM ME COPIA FECIT., and in smaller letters below, at the left: • S • F • (the F resembling an E), in the middle: • 1569 • and at the right: • ROVS • IN •

Fig.E.49 (London, VA)

Robert-Dumesnil/Duplessis, IX, 1865, 38, 85, as Delaune after Rosso.  Herbet, III, 1899, 50 (1969, 138).

COLLECTIONS: London, Delaune Vol. C.64, 1851-2-8-133; 1875-7-10-1358.  London, VA, E.2577-1913 in Press EO 14A.  New York, Vol. 2D, p.7, no. 64.568.7 (statue above and foremost diamond of pavement not wholly printed).  New York, Lucien Goldschmidt, Inc., Cat. 53, 12, no. 23.  Oxford.  Paris, Ed 4a Rés.; Ed 4.  Rome, Vol. 34J1, no. 31692.  Vienna, Vol. CXXXV, p.25, middle, second down.

LITERATURE:

Kusenberg, 1931, 157-158, 163, as Delaune after Rosso.

Linzeler, 1932, 234.

Carroll, 1964 (1976), II, Bk. II, 442-443.

Zerner, in EdF, 1972, 253-254, no. 291, and in Fontainebleau, 1973, I, 128, Fig. 105, II, 81, no. 291 (Paris).

Béguin, in EdF, 1972, 183, under no. 206, states that the figure of Narcissus is related to Rosso’s Seated Male Nude in the British Museum.

Carroll, 1987, 45, 194-197, no. 64, as Delaune after Rosso of 1531 or 1532.

Boorsch, in French Renaisssance, 1994, 281, 282, n. 7, the print by Delaune of 1569 as definitely post dating Luca Penni’s composition of the Metamorphosis of Acteon that has a similar architectural setting.

This very small engraving is almost certainly based on the larger copy, in the same direction, of a lost drawing by Rosso of 1531 or 1532 in Turin (Fig.D.44).  That copy seems to be by Delaune himself.  The inscription in the lower left corner of the print indicates his authorship of the engraving.

COPY, PRINT: Anonymous, E.134 (Fig.E.134).  Engraving, 12.3 x 8.5 L, including margin below.  COLLECTION: London, W3-24, as a counterproof of Delaune’s print.  A rather crude and enlarged copy of Delaune’s print with the inscription reversed and without the dots alongside the letters, date, and words of the bottom line.