Domenico Aspari, San Paolo Delle Nuns Milan, 1788, Etching

Description

Domenico aspari san paolo delle monache milan 1788. Beautiful etching and burin engraved view with original frame and glass; the … more Domenico aspari san paolo delle monache milan 1788. Beautiful etching and burin engraved view with original frame and glass; the frame is ebonized walnut. The sheet was transported on canvas in 1800. In good state of preservation.

table number 8 in the series views of milan. Described in this panel is the church of san paolo, in three-quarter view, investigating the details of the facade. The space in the foreground in this case is uncrowded. Excellent impression with a strong stroke and delicate blacks, belonging to the first print run made towards the end of the 18th century. Great attention, by means of subdued chiaroscuro plays, is paid to the architecture that takes center stage. wide margins beyond the copper strike. Under the title plate inscription: "to his excellence / la sig. Cont. Do. Elisabetta borromeo de conti d'aragona and née marchesa cusani." below the view at left signature and date: "domenico aspar. Del ed sculp. Milan 1788," right "architecture by gianbattista crespi d. Il cerano."

italian painter, engraver and lecturer. Because of his family's economic situation he was unable to pursue his studies on a regular basis, but thanks to his marked skill in drawing some benefactors allowed him to study at the accademia di ferrara under giuseppe baldrighi. There he became interested in painting and decorative paintings for the ducal palace. Once he moved to milan he stopped painting almost completely to devote himself to engraving, inspiring his style to that of piranesi. As an engraver and cartoonist he illustrated la corneide (1773) by giovanni de gamerra, much of the first italian edition of winckelmann's storia delle arti del disegno (milan 1779), le vicende di milano durante la guerra con federigo i (milan 1778) and delle antichità longobardiche milanesi (milan 1792-93, 4voll.) by angelo fumagalli. Consecration, however, came with the sixteen vedute di milano, etched and finished by burin from 1786 to 1792, reprinted several times (last vallardi in 1808), and becoming very rare and deservedly much sought after as the only ones worthy to stand alongside the great roman and venetian exemplars.

bibliography: paolo arrigoni (ed.), milano nelle vecchie stampe, december 1969, no. 129.
this piece has an attribution mark,
i am sure that it is completely authentic and take full responsibility for any authenticity
issues arising from misattribution less