13 - Francesco Villamena (1566–1624)

Francesco Villamena (1566–1624) The Battle of Bruttobuono. 1601. Engraving. 495 x 370 mm. Le Blanc 62. A very fine print on laid paper, trimmed to the square line but with the full title block intact. A vertical drying crease down the center. A small annotation “n°” in pen and sepia ink in the left margin of the title block. Minor soiling and creases on the reverse. AABM stamp (Lugt 3075). The engraving is dedicated to the patron Ciriaco Mattei (1542–1614), whose villa appears in the background. It depicts a violent street brawl in Rome. The protagonists are the Spaniards led by Bruttobuono, to whom Mattei is said to have granted his protection. Opposite them are the French, throwing stones. Spain’s control over the territories of southern Italy was then strongly contested by the other European powers.