After Rosso?

Etching by Léonard Limosin, 25.9 x 18.8 P (Paris).  Inscribed at the lower right: + L L + / 1544 (the 4s backwards).

Fig.E.92 (New York)

Robert-Dumesnil, V, 1841, 48.1.  Le Blanc, 1854-1890, II, 553, 1, wrongly as 1541.  Herbet, IV, 1900, 328 (1969, 178), 3.  Zerner, 1969, L.L.3 (New York).

COLLECTIONS: New York, 37.42.22, the upper corners cut and the lower left missing, all filled and redrawn.  Paris, AA 1 Rés.

LITERATURE:

Demartial, 1912, 19, 20, Fig. 2 (Paris), 22, 25.

Lavendan, 1913, 77, Fig. (Paris).

Kusenberg, 1931, 115, 119.

Ross, 1938, 361.

Adhémar, 1938, 2, no. 2.

Baratte, 1993, 22.

 

The figure types in this etching are Rossoesque and the background cityscape with its obelisk also recalls his art.  But there is no way of knowing to what extent the composition may be related to a lost image by Rosso himself.

ENAMEL: Limosin.  Écouen, Château, Musée national de la Renaissance, Cl 904B (Fig.E.92, Enamel).  Oval, 34 x 26.

LITERATURE:  Du Sommerard, 1883, 362-363, no. 4618.  Demartial, 1912, 21, Fig. 3, 22.  Lavedan, 1913, 81, Fig.  Bertrand Jestaz, in EdF, 1972, 447, no. 638, and in Fontainebleau, 1973, I, Fig. 145, II, 138, no. 638.  Baratte, 1993, 22-23, Color Pl. 8.

Apparently done in 1557, the enamel is in the same direction as Limosin’s print.  Figures have been added at left and right to fill the oval format of the enamel, and small elements and details have been changed and added.