Master Die (11 results)

No Binding. Condition: Good. Size: 226 x 191 mm. Condition: Print trimmed to image, clean with no tears creases or staining. The print is on fairly thin laid paper, which has a watermark of a symbol of letter within a shield. It probably dates to about 1700. It is a later printing from the second state of the engraved plate, originally published by Antonio Salamanca c1530-1560. This plate is one of a series of 32 which depicted the story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apulieus. It depicts Psyche setting off in Charon's boat across the River Styx on her way to the Underworld, ignoring the old man at left who requests alms. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Size: 234 x 203 mm. Condition: Print trimmed to just outside image, clean with no tears creases or staining. The print is on a stout laid paper. It is a strong impression and probably dates to about 1650. It is a later printing from the second state of the engraved plate, originally published by Antonio Salamanca c1530-1560. This plate is one of a series of 32 which depicted the story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apulieus. It depicts Psyche setting off in Charon's boat across the River Styx on her way to the Underworld, ignoring the old man at left who requests alms. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Condition: Good. 1st Edition. Size: Image 225 x 192 mm. Condition: Print trimmed to image, repaired vertical central tear and a loss to the bottom right corner and smaller loss to the top right edge. The print is, as to be expected, a strong impression, with overall even age toning. This is a rare print from the first state copper plate, predating the second state edition by Antonio Salamanca. There are some minor but significant difference between this state and the Salamanca edition. The plate depicts Psyche feeding the three-headed dog Cerberus at the entrance to the Underworld. Three women to the left are carding wool. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. Size: Sheet 379 x 278 mm, print to platemark 227 x 197 mm. Condition: Print of full sheet with binding thread marks to left margin. The print is very clean with no tears creases or staining. The print is on a stout laid paper with no watermark. It is a strong impression and could be an original 1530-1560 impression, though it might be a later printing. It is from the second state of the engraved plate, originally published by Antonio Salamanca c1530-1560. This plate is one of a series of 32 which depicted the story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apulieus. It depicts Proserpina giving Psyche the box of beauty. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. Size: Sheet 379 x 278 mm, print to platemark 227 x 197 mm. Condition: Print of full sheet with binding thread marks to left margin. The print is very clean with no tears creases or staining. The print is on a stout laid paper with no watermark. It is a strong impression and could be an original 1530-1560 impression, though it might be a later printing. It is from the second state of the engraved plate, originally published by Antonio Salamanca c1530-1560. This plate is one of a series of 32 which depicted the story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apulieus. It depicts Psyche seated at a table attended by invisible servants, as Cupid rests his head on her shoulder, at right four men standing singing from an open book, one playing a lute. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. Size: Sheet 379 x 278 mm, print to platemark 227 x 197 mm. Condition: Print of full sheet with binding thread marks to left margin. The print is very clean with no tears creases or staining, a few light fox patches in the margins not affecting the image. The print is on a stout laid paper with no watermark. It is a strong impression and could be an original 1530-1560 impression, though it might be a later printing. It is from the second state of the engraved plate, originally published by Antonio Salamanca c1530-1560. This plate is one of a series of 32 which depicted the story of Cupid and Psyche as told by Apulieus. It depicts Psyche offering presents to her sisters who also appear on the clouds at upper right. The Italian verses accompanying the plate are taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the Cupid and Psyche engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty.

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. Size: All sheets measure 42.5 27.5 cm (17 x 11 inches), and the platemarks 233 x 206 mm ( 9 x 8 inches). Condition: All prints are excellent impressions, a few minor short tears and creases to some margins, some very minor spotting, none affecting the images themselves. 23 plates from a series of 30 numbered plates, all from the same volume with thread holes on the left hand short margin. The plates not present are 7, 8, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 26. The prints are from the second state edition of Antonio Salamanca, with his imprint, except that plate 1 has Salamanca's mark erased and instead is engraved "sup: lic:" . There appear to be no other differences between these prints and Salamanca's edition. The paper (for all the prints) has a watermark of P M with F below and a crown above which appears to be French paper and suggesting a printing date of 1680-1730. Plate 1 does not have the publisher's imprint of Matteo Gregorio Rossi (1638-1702), so this collection predates his, and this confirms an approximate date of 1680. The impressions are very good, which would also confirm this relatively early date. The first issue of these prints had 32 plates - it appears this printing only ever had 30, and plates 9 to 20 and 27 to 30 are numbered 10-21 and 28-31 in a later printing in the Royal Collection Trust. The prints depict episodes from Apuleius' Story of Cupid and Psyche, all of which were engraved by the Master of the Die with the exception of three by Agostino Veneziano. Formerly thought to have been designed by Raphael, the engravings are now reputed to be based on Raphael-inspired drawings, probably Italian. The Master of the Die has not been identified with certainty. The Italian verses accompanying the plates is taken from the translation of Apuleius' works published by Boiardo in 1516.

Condition: Good. Engraving. 245 x 179 mm. Without numbering. Reworked plate by Thomassin. Bartsch, XV, 22-I. From a set of four.

Condition: Good. Engraving. 203 x 231 mm. A few marginal stains. Bartsch XV, 77.

Thefifth plate of an album with the set of plates of the story of Cupid and Psyche. The series consists of 32 numbered plates, 3 by Agostino Veneziano (plates 4,7 and 13), the remainder by the Master of the Die (who only marked plates 6 and 9). Bartsch thought that the plates were designed by Raphael, but Vasari correctly stated that they were after Coxcie. The number order of the plates given by Bartsch follows the story, and does not always correspond to the numbering written on the plates themselves. Traditionally four states of the plates have been noted: 1. before the verses in the margin; 2. with the verses; 3. with the addition of Salamanca's address; and 4. with Salamanca's name replaced by Rossi's (on first plate only?). Lettered below:'La madre e'l Re di lagrime si bagnano / .con dolore & terna.' With Salamanca's address:'Ant. Sal. exc.' Engraving on paper with margins; platemark: 197 x 233 mm; total: 241 x 274 mm. Bartsch XV.214.43.

Drawing after a renown set by the Master of the Die and published by Salamanca between 1530-1560, representing the history of love between Cupid and Psyche.Signed L.H. 20 aug. 1699 in pen and black ink and numbered 3 in brown ink, both in lower left corner. Pen and black ink and grey wash on late 17th century paper, 173 x 228 mm. Watermark hardly discernible. Some very slight foxing and minor wear, otherwise in excellent condition.