E.76 Fantuzzi, Death of Adonis

Etching by Antonio Fantuzzi, 29.5 x 42.3 L (London).

Fig.E.76 (Paris, Eb 14d)

Heinecken, IV, 1790, 533, as Leon Daven after Rosso.  Bartsch, XVI, 1818, 402-403, 69, as Anonymous, School of Fontainebleau, in the manner of Fantuzzi.  Herbet, II, 1896, 280 (1969, 76), 35, as Fantuzzi.  Zerner, 1969, A.F.27 (Paris, Eb 14d) as 1542-1543.

COLLECTIONS: London, 1850-5-27-102 (inscribed in ink at the upper right: rossi).  Paris, Ba 12; Eb 14d (verso: pale impression of Anonymous, Twins of Catania, E.142).  Paris, Arsenal, Vol. 168(2), no. 61 (see Schéfer below).

LITERATURE:

Mariette, Abécédario, 1858-1859, 19, 21, as by the same etcher who did the Contest of Athena and Poseidon [E.78] and the Revenge of Nauplius [E.71].

Schéfer, 1894-1929, col.  554, no. 61.

Kusenberg, 1931, 164.

Zerner, 1964, 75, 77, Fig., as 1542 or 1543.

Zerner, 1972, 113, Fig. 163 (Paris, Eb 14d).

Béguin and Pressouyre, 1972, 130, as 1542-1543.

Zerner, in EdF, 1972, 263, Fig., 265, no. 310 (Paris, Eb 14d).

Zerner, IB, 33, 1979, 344 (London).

Borea, 1980, 258, no. 657, 262, Fig. (Paris, Eb 14d).

Lévêque, 1984, 235, Fig. (Paris, Ba 12).

K. Wilson-Chevalier, in Fontainebleau, 1985, 241-242, no. 85 (Paris, Ba 12).

Carroll, 1987, 31, 45, 244-245, with Fig. (Paris, Eb 14d).

The print is in reverse of Rosso’s painting in the Gallery of Francis I (Fig.P.22, III S a) and could be based on Rosso’s lost drawing that is known from two copies in Cambridge (Fig.D.63A) and Dresden, formerly (Fig.D.63B).  The very small differences between these copies and Fantuzzi’s etching are specified in the catalogue entry of the gallery (P.22, III S).  But one difference, the upper nudity of the fleeing woman at the right in the print, may indicate that the etching was made from a different but otherwise very similar lost drawing by Rosso.  In the fresco, this figure is fully clothed, again suggesting that the print is derived from a slightly earlier drawing than that represented by the two copies.