An extremely fine impression, richly inked, of the second state of four, without the elephant in the cartouche bottom right and before the Borghese arms were removed from the central cartouche. On paper with watermark Cross. A few unobtrusive printer creases, in very good condition.

According to Sopher the etching can be dated to 1642/43, a dating shared also by Andrea Emiliani. The print depicts a tribute of the three pagan gods to the Arms of the Cardinal Pietro Maria Borghese, whose insignia are depicted in the central cartouche. According to Sopher, the missing papal privilege in the print leads us to think that the etching has begun in Rome but has been completed in Bologna.

This is the most ambitious and articulate etching by the artist.  It differs from the other prints for dimension, importance of the subject and for the maturity of Cantarini’s style as an etcher in the later years of his life. The print represents Jupiter, identifiable by the two eagles, Pluto with its chariot of fire coming from Hades and Neptune riding his chariot wagon, in the act of offering their crowns to the insignia of Cardinal Borghese.

Price on application