“Judgement of Paris”, “Venus Attired by The Graces” Pair of Engravings

“The Judgement of Paris” and “Venus Attired by The Graces”  
Francesco Bartolozzi, R.A. (1727-1815) 
after Giovanni Battista Cipriani, R.A. (1727–1785) 
A pair of sepia toned stipple engravings
Published John Boydell (1719-1804), London
Presented in their original 18th/19th Century verre églomisé mounts

Each Measures:-
27 cm x 30 cm (framed)

Provenance:-
Mrs John Gouch, Hungerford, England

A very attractive pair of stipple engravings by Francesco Bartolozzi after Giovanni Battista Cipriani. These depict "The Judgement of Paris" (from Homer's Iliad) and a further classical subject of "Venus Attired By The Graces" (showing Venus being attended by the Three Graces with Cupid and two further cherubs waiting on her). These were extremely popular subjects at the time, indeed, Angelica Kauffman, R.A. (1741-1807) had sent two paintings of the same subjects to the Royal Academy for exhibition in 1781 (in due course these were also engraved by Bartolozzi).

The prints here retain their original late 18th/early 19th Century giltwood frames and verre églomisé oval mounts. The publication lines and titles (which would otherwise have been obscured) have been trimmed off but retained and applied to the backboards in antiquity. The backboard of "The Judgement of Paris" has a further old pencil inscription reading "Relics of our aunt / the late Mrs John Gouch / Hungerford".

Francesco Bartolozzi (1727-1815) was an Italian engraver. The son of a goldsmith, he studied painting in Florence, trained as an engraver in Venice and began his career in Rome. In 1763 Richard Dalton, the art dealer and librarian to George III, invited him to London, promising him the post of engraver to the King. Bartolozzi duly moved to London where he remained for thirty-five years. He frequently collaborated with his friend and fellow countryman Giovanni Battista Cipriani (1727–1785). In 1768 Bartolozzi was the only engraver to become a founder member of the Royal Academy of Arts. Cipriani was also a founder member of the Royal Academy and designed the institution's membership diploma, which was engraved by Bartolozzi.

Condition:-
Good condition. Some loss of gilt-gesso to the frames, slight delaminating of the black enamel of the verre églomisé mounts. Very small amount of worm isolated to the backboards (treated).