341 - Antonio Salamanca, after Polidoro da Caravaggio – Three sheets of Grotesque Trophies, c. 1540–1550

Antonio Salamanca, after Polidoro da Caravaggio – Three sheets of Grotesque Trophies, c. 1540–1550 Description: Antonio Salamanca (1478–1562), after Polidoro da Caravaggio (c. 1499–1543) – Three sheets of Grotesque Trophies, c. 1540–1550. A rare group of three engravings with elaborate arrangements of trophies, comprising fantastic helmets and armor, shields, weapons, musical instruments, masks, animal and human heads, birds and flowing ribbons, after designs associated with Polidoro da Caravaggio. The compositions reflect the highly inventive ornamental vocabulary developed by Polidoro in Rome, strongly inspired by antique reliefs and grotesque decoration. Each sheet is lettered “ANT. SAL. SCVDEBAT”, identifying Antonio Salamanca as publisher. Particularly important are these impressions as examples of the original Salamanca issue: the compositions are in their original orientation and precede the later reversed copies published by Antonio Lafreri. Engravings, Rome, mid-sixteenth century. A particularly attractive and rare group of three original Salamanca issues after Polidoro da Caravaggio, preceding the later reversed Lafreri copies. Dimensions: 25,70 x 17,20 cm Condition: Very good strong impressions on thick Italian laid paper, with the full plate border, with small margins. verso clean. Two prints in excellent condition, one with paper defects along the bottom borderline. Literature: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Libro de' Trofei, noting the first series of ten engravings published by Antonio Salamanca, Rome, c. 1540–50, and the subsequent series of sixteen plates published by Antonio Lafreri, c. 1550–53, including reversed copies after the Salamanca engravings; the designs were attributed to Polidoro da Caravaggio in Lafreri's 1573 catalogue. The later Lafreri series was attributed by Bartsch to Enea Vico Medium: Engraving Date: 1553