RE.2 Barbiere, Venus Mars, and Cupid

Engraving by Domenico del Barbiere, 6.7 x 10.9 L (London).  Inscribed at the bottom in the middle: ^. D ^. F

Fig.RE.2 (Vienna)

Heinecken, II, 1788, 164, as Barbiere after Rosso.  Bartsch, XVI, 1818, 358, 5, as Barbiere after Rosso.  Le Blanc, 1854-1890, I, 147, 61, as after Rosso.  Herbet, III, 1899, 10, 5, as Barbiere after Rosso.  Zerner, 1969, D.B.5 (Vienna), 1540-1545, as probably of Barbiere’s own design.

COLLECTIONS: London, 1874-8-8-2147.  Vienna, H.B.IV, p.53, no. 74.

LITERATURE:

Kusenberg, 1931, 159, as Barbiere after Rosso.

Zerner, IB, 33, 1979, 261 (London).

Wardropper, 1985, 40, Fig. 16, as a late print by Barbiere, and by implication of his design.

Acton, in French Renaissance, 1994, 307, n. 14, under no. 73, as attributed to Barbiere, and as after Rosso.

Grand and beautiful as the design of this engraving is, its style does not correspond to Rosso’s either in the broad grace of its composition or in the character of its details.  It does reflect his influence, as, for example, the style of his Pietà in the Louvre (Fig.P.23a), but the amplitude of the forms, their undulating surfaces and the curves of the figures, also reflect Primaticcio’s art.  Zerner may well be right in attributing the design to Barbiere himself.