Ide'e Pittoresche Sopra La Fugga in Egitto di Giesu, Maria e Gioseppe Opera inventata, ed incisa da me Gio: Domenico Tiepolo in Corte di detta Sua Altessa Reverendissima &c &c.

RA Collection: Book

Record number

05/120

Author

Giandomenico Tiepolo, draughtsman, etcher

Variant Title

A Sua Altessa Reverendissima Monsignor Carlo Fhilippo Prencipe del sacro Romano Impero Vescovo d'Herbipoli e Duca di Franconia Orientale &c &c
Idee Pittoresche Sopra La Fugga in Egitto
Fugga in Egitto

Imprint

[Würzburg?:: s.n.,], Anno 1753.

Physical Description

[27] pl. incl. t.pl. and frontis.; 254×340 mm.

General Note

Rizzi describes the set as consisting of 27 pl. including the dedication-plate, frontispiece and title-plate. But the Royal Academy's set has a total of 28 pl., because it includes (pl. [7]) a plate carrying two images, one of them signed as designed by 'Joannes Batta Tiepolo', Domenico's father - which Rizzi regards as having been dropped from the set 'before publication'. Rizzi also describes the 27 plates as carrying numbers, 'although proof states of all the plates in the series before the number are known'. In the Academy's set some plates are unnumbered and some numbered; a few carry two numbers, and the numbered plates are not bound in numeric order; as follows: [1](dedic.) '1' bottom left and '4' top right; [2](t.-pl.) '3' bottom left; [3] (allegoric frontis., with arms, trumpet &c.) '2' bottom left; [4] '4' bottom left; [5] '6' bottom left; [6] unnumbered; [7] '9' top left [this is the Academy's additional plate, including G.B. Tiepolo's signature]; [8] '10' bottom centre; [9] '12' bottom left; [10] '5' bottom left; [11] unnumbered; [12] '9' bottom centre; [13] '11' bottom centre; [14] '13' bottom centre; [15] '15' bottom centre; [16] unnumbered; [17] unnumbered; [18] '17' bottom left; [19] unnumbered; [20] '23' bottom centre; [21] '27' bottom left; [22] '19' bottom centre; [23] '16' bottom centre; [24] '18' bottom right; [25] '20' bottom right; [26] '22' bottom centre; [27] '24' bottom right; [28] '26' bottom centre'.

[Dedic. pl., t.pl., frontis.] - [Plates].

Responsibility Note

Most plates are signed as drawn and made by Do: Tiepolo. Plate [7] ('9' top left) is signed as designed by Joannes Batta. Tiepolo and made by Jo. Dominicus Filius. Eight are unsigned (pl. [1, 2, 3, 6, 18, 24, 25, 26]).

References

L. Wolk-Simon, 'Domenico Tiepolo: drawings, prints and paintings in the Metropolitan Museum of Art', in Metropolitan Museum of Art bulletin, 54:3 (winter 1966-7); A. Rizzi, L'opera grafica dei Tiepolo: le acquaforti (1971) (English. tr., The etchings of the Tiepolos: complete edition, 1971), nos. 67-93 (Rizzi shows a further three etchings, nos. 94-6, dropped from the published set); A. Morassi, La Fugga in Egitto di Domenico Tiepolo (1960).

Summary Note

Publication dates are carried on three plates: [14] '1750'; [19] '1751'?; [22] '1753'?

The title-plate refers to the preceding dedication-plate ('... Corte di detta Sua Altessa'), which reads in full, 'A Sua Altessa Reverendissima Monsignor Carlo Filippo Prencipe del Sacro Romano Impero Vescovo d'Herbipoli Duca di Franconia Orientale &c &c'.

Giandomenico Tiepolo had already published etchings of the Stations of the Cross, after paintings which he had made for the church of S. Polo, Venice. The series on the 'Flight into Egypt' was executed during his stay in Würzburg with his father in 1750-53.

The plates show the Holy Family in the successive stages of their long journey from Palestine to Egypt and back; and they combine a rococo grace with great tenderness for the hardships of the travellers and their constant need for mutual support. Executed over a period of three years, the etchings display an increasing technical variety and finesse.

After publishing a collection of etchings of heads (1773-4), Giandomenico went on to issue in 1775 a catalogue in which are printed etchings by his father Giambattista, himself and his brother Lorenzo. In this catalogue all the 'Fugga in Egitto' etchings are printed apart from the dedication and the frontispiece (these were added in later editions).

Binding Note

19th-century half calf, brown cloth-covered boards; spine lettered 'Tiepolo Idee Pittoresche' and 'R.A.'

Name as Subject

Jesus Christ
Mary Blessed Virgin, Saint
Joseph Saint

Subject

Bible, N.T., Matthew
Christian art and symbolism - Holy Family - Flight into Egypt
Narrative art - Germany - 18th century
Pictorial works - Etchings - Germany - 18th century