Domenico Aspari, San Paolo delle Monache Milano, 1788, Etching

Details

Description

Domenico aspari san paolo delle monache milan 1788. Beautiful view engraved with etching and burin with original frame and glass; … Read more Domenico aspari san paolo delle monache milan 1788. Beautiful view engraved with etching and burin with original frame and glass; the frame is in ebonized walnut. The sheet was transferred to canvas in 1800. In good condition.

plate number 8 of the series views of milan. This plate describes the church of san paolo, in three-quarters, investigating the details of the facade. The space in the foreground in this case is not crowded. Excellent impression with a decisive line and delicate blacks, belonging to the first edition made towards the end of the 18th century. Great attention, through subtle chiaroscuro effects, is paid to the architecture that is the protagonist. Wide margins beyond the copper frame. Under the title inscription on the plate: “to his excellence / the mrs. Cont. Do. Elisabetta borromeo de conti d’aragona e nata marchesa cusani”. Under the view on the left signature and date: “domenico aspar. Del ed sculp. Milano 1788”, on the right “architecture by gianbattista crespi d. Il cerano”.

italian painter, engraver and teacher. Due to his family’s economic situation he was unable to follow his studies regularly, but thanks to his outstanding ability in drawing some benefactors allowed him to study at the academy of ferrara under the guidance of giuseppe baldrighi. Here he became interested in painting and decorative paintings for the ducal palace. Once he moved to milan he almost completely stopped painting to dedicate himself to engraving, inspiring his style to that of piranesi. As an engraver and cartoonist he illustrated la corneide (1773) by giovanni de gamerra, a large part of the first italian edition of the history of the arts of drawing by winckelmann (milan 1779), the events of milan during the war with federigo i (milan 1778) and of the longobard antiquities of milan (milan 1792-93, 4 volumes) by angelo fumagalli. His consecration, however, came with the sixteen views of milan, etched and finished with a burin from 1786 to 1792, reprinted several times (the last one by vallardi in 1808), and which have become very rare and deservedly highly sought after as the only ones worthy of standing alongside the great roman and venetian examples.

bibliography: paolo arrigoni (edited by), milan in the old prints, december 1969, no. 129. This piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution See less