17th Century Engraving Mignard Caracci Palace Farnese Grand Tour Rome

Ulysses at Circe - after Annibale Carracci (Farnese gallery - Rome) Etching by Nicolas Mignard, known as Mignard of Avignon, baptized on February 7, 1606 at the Sainte-Madeleine church in Troyes in Champagne, died in Paris on May 20 1668, is a French Baroque painter and engraver. He is the brother of Pierre Mignard, known as “Mignard le Romain”, and the father of Pierre II Mignard, known as “le Chevalier Mignard” and Paul Mignard. Etching on laid paper signed and dated in the plate The staged episode, taken from 'The Odyssey', shows Ulysses facing the magician Circe who presents him with a poisoned drink intended to transform him into an animal, but the hero receives help from Mercury who pours a counterpoison into the cup. After having determined the general composition of the scene inscribed in a curved bezel, the artist carefully studied each of the figures from a model according to his usual working method, drawing inspiration from ancient bas-reliefs and sculptures to give a verisimilitude in every detail. The precise and sensual work of the black stone perfectly renders the naturalness of the attitudes'