RE.12 Costumed Male Figure
Engraving by René Boyvin, 32.2 x 18.7 S (State II, New York).
Three States:
I. Inscribed in the center at bottom: Cum priuilegio Regis.
II. Inscribed as in I, and at lower right: B.
III. Inscribed as in I and II, and above the first inscription: F.L.D Ciartres excudit [the a resembling an n] (Levron, 1941, Pl. XVI, Fig. 21).
Fig.RE.12 (State I, Vienna)
Robert-Dumesnil, VIII, 1850, 48, 77 (State II). Le Blanc, 1854-1890, I, 508, 187 (State I). Duplessis, 1871, 23-24, Robert-Dumesnil, 77 (States II and III, with latter as inscribed: F.L.D. Ciartres excud.). Linzeler, 1932, 179 (State II; mentions State III as inscribed: F.L.D Ciartres excudit). Levron, 1941, 66, 15 (2 States known), and Pl. XVI, Fig. 21 (State III).
COLLECTIONS: Los Angeles (I or II). New York, 32.92.27 (22) (State II). Paris, Ed 3, in-folio (State II). Vienna, F.I.3, p.30, no. 72 (State I), and F.I.3, p.30, no. 73 (State II).
LITERATURE:
Kusenberg, 1931, 162, as Boyvin after Rosso.
Zerner, in EdF, 1972, 333, under no. 439, as Boyvin after Rosso.
Borea, 1980, 263, no. 68, ill., p.265.
Davis, 1984, 23, Fig., 56, no. 7 (Los Angeles).
K. Wilson-Chevalier, in Fontainebleau, 1985, 93-94, no. 40 (Paris).
Carroll, 1987, 215, n. 3, under no. 68, as not after Rosso.
Acton, in French Renaissance, 1994, 290, under no. 71, as related to the engraved masks after designs attributed to Thiry.1
The monogram on the second and third states of this print indicates Boyvin as the engraver, and all but one who have mentioned this work in print have attributed its design to Rosso. Linzeler made no comment on the authorship of the figure. Borea pointed out that the figure is stylistically related to the drawing of a Costumed Male Figure Carrying a Small Decorated Box in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris (Fig.RD.26) and the two are almost certainly companion pieces designed by the same artist. This artist also did the Figure in Costume in Berlin (Fig.RD.1). But as argued in the catalogue entries of the two drawings, these costumed figures are not by Rosso, nor do they seem to be by Thiry. The suggestion that these drawings are by Boyvin, and hence the design of this engraving as well, cannot be proven. There is no evidence that Boyvin designed any of his own prints.