DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20658#0334
320
ENGRAVING.
the year 1450. The earliest copper-plate extant is dated 146], which notwithstanding its
rudeness and imperfections sufficiently evinces that the engraver was no stranger to the use of his
instruments, and the copper-plate printer far from being unpractised in his art. From several
other engravings of the same master we may discover that the printing of these plates had
become a mechanical profession : the impressions are so clearly taken in every part, that it is a
doubt whether they could be exceeded b}' the copper-plate printers of the present day, with all
the conveniencies they now possess, and the additional knowledge they must necessarily have
acquired, in the course of between three and four centuries. " Hence," says Mr. Strutt, " we
may fairly conclude, that if they were not the first specimens of the engraver's workmanship,
they were much less the first efforts of the copper-plate printer's ability. It is likewise to be
observed that Martin Schoen who is said, with great appearance of truth, to have worked from
146*0 to I486 was apparently the scholar of Stoltzhirs ; for he followed his style of engraving
and copied from him a set of prints representing the Passion of our Saviour: now, allowing
Stroltzbirs to have preceded his disciple only ten years, this carries the asra of the art back to
1450, as was said above. There is no ground to suppose that it was known to the Italians
till at least ten years afterwards. The earliest prints that are known to be theirs, are a set
of the seven planets, and an almanac by way of frontispiece, on which are directions for
finding Easter from the year 1465 to 1517 inclusive: and we maybe well assured that the
engravings were not antedated, for the almanac of course became less and less valuable every
year. In all probability therefore those prints must have been executed in the year 1464, which
is only four years later than the Italians themselves lay any claim to. The three earliest Italian
engravers are Finiguerra, Boticelli and Baldini. If we are to refer these prints to any of the
three, we shall naturally conclude them to be the work of Finiguerra or Baldini; for they are
not equal, neither in drawing nor composition, to those ascribed to Boticelli, which we know at
least were designed by him, and as Baldini is expressly said to have worked from the designs
of Boticelli, it will appear most probable that they belong to Finiguerra."
With respect to the invention of etching we must speak with less certainty. Albert Durer
has left us one of the most early specimens of this art, in his piece known by the name of the
Cannon, dated 1518: he has also bequeathed us another etching dated 1524, representing
Moses receiving the Tables of the Law. Parmegiano soon after practised it in Italy. In his
works'we discover the hand of a great man, labouring under innumerable difficulties, and working
as it were upon a system of his own invention. We cannot help admiring his efforts, though he
failed in producing the forms he wished to express: on examining the mechanical part of the
execution we may plainly perceive that the subject was novel to him, and that he had had no
instructions or directions : he died in the year 1540.
That species of engraving which unites etching with the use of the graver, was no doubt
adopted very early ; that is immediately upon the invention of etching: but G. Audran was the
first who carried it to perfection.
The Italians however have not entirely excluded themselves from their share of honour in this
branch of the arts. Agostino Demusis, commonly called Augustine of Venice, a pupil of Marc
Antonio, used it in several of his earliest works, but confined it to the flesh, as appears in the print
of an old man seated on a bank, with a cottage in the back ground, without any date. Augustine
flourished from 1509 to 1536. We have also another print of this nature by Giulio Campagnola,
. ; of
ENGRAVING.
the year 1450. The earliest copper-plate extant is dated 146], which notwithstanding its
rudeness and imperfections sufficiently evinces that the engraver was no stranger to the use of his
instruments, and the copper-plate printer far from being unpractised in his art. From several
other engravings of the same master we may discover that the printing of these plates had
become a mechanical profession : the impressions are so clearly taken in every part, that it is a
doubt whether they could be exceeded b}' the copper-plate printers of the present day, with all
the conveniencies they now possess, and the additional knowledge they must necessarily have
acquired, in the course of between three and four centuries. " Hence," says Mr. Strutt, " we
may fairly conclude, that if they were not the first specimens of the engraver's workmanship,
they were much less the first efforts of the copper-plate printer's ability. It is likewise to be
observed that Martin Schoen who is said, with great appearance of truth, to have worked from
146*0 to I486 was apparently the scholar of Stoltzhirs ; for he followed his style of engraving
and copied from him a set of prints representing the Passion of our Saviour: now, allowing
Stroltzbirs to have preceded his disciple only ten years, this carries the asra of the art back to
1450, as was said above. There is no ground to suppose that it was known to the Italians
till at least ten years afterwards. The earliest prints that are known to be theirs, are a set
of the seven planets, and an almanac by way of frontispiece, on which are directions for
finding Easter from the year 1465 to 1517 inclusive: and we maybe well assured that the
engravings were not antedated, for the almanac of course became less and less valuable every
year. In all probability therefore those prints must have been executed in the year 1464, which
is only four years later than the Italians themselves lay any claim to. The three earliest Italian
engravers are Finiguerra, Boticelli and Baldini. If we are to refer these prints to any of the
three, we shall naturally conclude them to be the work of Finiguerra or Baldini; for they are
not equal, neither in drawing nor composition, to those ascribed to Boticelli, which we know at
least were designed by him, and as Baldini is expressly said to have worked from the designs
of Boticelli, it will appear most probable that they belong to Finiguerra."
With respect to the invention of etching we must speak with less certainty. Albert Durer
has left us one of the most early specimens of this art, in his piece known by the name of the
Cannon, dated 1518: he has also bequeathed us another etching dated 1524, representing
Moses receiving the Tables of the Law. Parmegiano soon after practised it in Italy. In his
works'we discover the hand of a great man, labouring under innumerable difficulties, and working
as it were upon a system of his own invention. We cannot help admiring his efforts, though he
failed in producing the forms he wished to express: on examining the mechanical part of the
execution we may plainly perceive that the subject was novel to him, and that he had had no
instructions or directions : he died in the year 1540.
That species of engraving which unites etching with the use of the graver, was no doubt
adopted very early ; that is immediately upon the invention of etching: but G. Audran was the
first who carried it to perfection.
The Italians however have not entirely excluded themselves from their share of honour in this
branch of the arts. Agostino Demusis, commonly called Augustine of Venice, a pupil of Marc
Antonio, used it in several of his earliest works, but confined it to the flesh, as appears in the print
of an old man seated on a bank, with a cottage in the back ground, without any date. Augustine
flourished from 1509 to 1536. We have also another print of this nature by Giulio Campagnola,
. ; of