Mascherone

Bulino, 1545 – 1550 circa, priva di data e firma.Bella prova, impressa su carta vergata coeva, ampi margini, in ottimo stato di conservazione.La serie originale generalmente viene attribuita a René Boyvin; mentre Robert-Dumesnil pensava addirittura che i soggetti fossero di Rosso Fiorentino.Ma Yves Metman, sulla base di un documento del XVI secolo, propose di assegnare le stampe a Pierre Milan e di istabilire quale terminus ante quem il 1559 ("Un graveur inconnu de l'Ecole de Fontainebleau: Pierre Milan", in Bibliothèque d'Humanisme et Renaissance , Notes et documents, I, 1941, pp. 202-214.).Emmanuelle Brugerolles, invece, attribuisce i disegni a Léonard Thiry (Le dessin en France au XVIe siècle: dessins et miniatures des collections de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, 1994, pag 108); ipotizzando che Thiry avrebbe potuto usare un modello di Rosso poi adattato per l'incisione. Diverse altre stampe di maschere sono riconducibili all’influenza stilistica di Rosso: Figura maschile in costume con due torce, di Boyvin Robert- Dumesnil, 8:48, no. 77; Levron 194I, 66, no. IS, pl. xVI, fig. 21), le Dodici Coppie di figure mascherate attribuite a Boyvin (Robert- Dumesnil, 8:40-53, nos. 78-89; Levron 194I 76, 21o-221) e le Sei figure a mezzo busto mascherati e in e costume, anch’esse attribuite a Boyvin (Herbet, 3:37, nos. 33-38; Levron Io4I, 77, nos. 222-227). Carroll ha suggerito che queste maschere non fossero dei modelli per i costumi, come si presumeva, ma che potevano essere progetti per pitture di maschere, probabilmente per decorare le pareti o il pavimento di una stanza [.] al [Palazzo di] Fontainebleau '. Engraving, 1545 – 1550 circa, unlettered. Good example, printed on contemporary laid paper, wide margins, very good condition.Anonimous copy probably after a drawing by Léonard Thiry.This print belongs to a series of twelve engravings; six of which show two male busts each, and the other six, female busts. It is common to find those prints cut in two and the set described as a series of twenty four prints. The original drawings are kept in Paris, in the Ecole nationale superieure des Beaux-Arts (Mas. 1296, Rec. 19). The drawings and the prints used to be unanimously attributed to René Boyvin and Robert-Dumesnil even thought the prints were after Rosso Fiorentino. But Yves Metman, using a 16th century document, proposed to give the prints to Pierre Milan and to set a terminus ante quem in 1559 ('Un graveur inconnu de l'Ecole de Fontainebleau: Pierre Milan', in Bibliothèque d'Humanisme et Renaissance, Notes et documents, I, 1941, pp. 202-214.). Emmanuelle Brugerolles attributed the drawings to Léonard Thiry (Le dessin en France au XVIe siècle: dessins et miniatures des collections de l'Ecole des Beaux-Arts, 1994, p. 108). She suggests that Thiry could have used a model given by Rosso, and adapted it for the engraving. This set is remarkable for his success; it has been reproduced and copied many times. E. A. Carroll suggested that those masks were maybe not models for costumes as most people assumed but that they could be projects for 'pictures of masks out of colored stones, probably to decorate the walls or pavement of a room [.] at Fontainebleau' (Rosso Fiorentino. Drawings, Prints, and Decorative Arts, Washington, National Gallery of Art, 1987, p. 215, footnote no. 3).Other prints of masks may be influenced by Rosso style. These include the Costumed Male Figure with Two Torches by Boyvin (Robert- Dumesnil, 8:48, no. 77; Levron 194I, 66, no. IS, pl. xVI, fig. 21), the Twelve Pairs of Masked Figures attributed to Boyvin (Robert- Dumesnil, 8:40-53, nos. 78-89; Levron 194I 76, 21o-221) and the Six Bust-length Masked and Costumed Figures, also ascribed to Boyvin (Herbet, 3:37, nos. 33-38; Levron Io4I, 77, nos. 222-227). Carroll suggested that the masks were maybe not models for costumes as most people assumed but that they could be projects for 'pictures of masks out of colored stones, probably to decorate the walls or pavement of a room [.] at [the Palace of] Fontainebleau'. Cfr. Rosso Fiorentino, p. 215 note 3