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The Apostle Saint James

1722
Not on view
Zanetti has here described the pose and drapery of Saint James through layers of colored ink, avoiding printmakers’ traditional reliance on outlines and linear shading. The artist employed a technique known as chiaroscuro woodcut, in which he formed an image by successively printing three woodblocks, each in its own color. He reserved passages of bare paper in order to create the bright highlights seen on the figure’s right arm and shoulder, which contrast with the shadows around his legs and backside. Due to the difficulty of printing chiaroscuro woodcuts, Zanetti was one of only a few eighteenth-century printmakers to practice the technique.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Apostle Saint James
  • Artist: Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder (Italian, Venice 1680–1767 Venice)
  • Artist: After Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola) (Italian, Parma 1503–1540 Casalmaggiore)
  • Date: 1722
  • Medium: Chiaroscuro woodcut from three blocks in ochre and blue
  • Dimensions: Image: 6 3/16 × 3 1/16 in. (15.7 × 7.8 cm)
    Sheet: 6 3/16 × 3 1/16 in. (15.7 × 7.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Fuller, 1957
  • Object Number: 57.602.11
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

More Artwork
St. Andrew, Facing Forward, Head Turned to Left, Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder Italian, Chiaroscuro woodcut from three blocks in black, green, ochre, with border in gold ink and watercolor frame
St. Andrew, Facing Forward, Head Turned to Left
Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder
After Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola)
before 1749
Lobster-Tail Burgonet, Steel, leather, gold, North Italian
Lobster-Tail Burgonet
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Hercules chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses, Ugo da Carpi Italian, Chiaroscuro woodcut from two blocks in green
Hercules chasing Avarice from the Temple of the Muses
Ugo da Carpi
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ca. 1520–27
Diversarum Iconum...Series Secunda, Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder Italian, Chiaroscuro woodcuts, etchings, and engravings
Diversarum Iconum...Series Secunda
Anton Maria Zanetti the Elder
1749
Armor, Steel, copper alloy, textile, leather, Italian
Armor
Italian
ca. 1400–1450 and later

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