BEAUTIFUL ANTIQUE ENGRAVING OF THE FAMOUS "LIFE OF THE VIRGIN" series by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528), printed around 1505-1515 in Venice by Marcantonio Raimondi (1480-1534) an engraver trained by the famous Raphael. The exact same print is in the collection of the British Museum in London (Accession Number: H,3.168 and 1860,0414.480), in the Louvre Collection in Paris (Accession Number: 12864 LR/ Recto) and in the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest (Accession Number: 5682). PLEASE NOTE: the buyer will also receive a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). This fine engraving (H 293 x W 210 mm or 11.5 by 8.3 inches) created with meticulous detail and great precision shows a remarkable copy from the "LIFE OF THE VIRGIN" (the Annunciation), created by the talented Marcantonio Raimondi (RKD artists ID: 65470), one the most important printmaker of the Italian Renaissance, famous for designs of his own invention as well as for his superlative engraved copies after his contemporaries Michelangelo, Raphael and Dürer. The laid paper is watermarked with a big G inside a double circle and surmounted by a patriarchal cross (two-bar cross) and consisting in two lines (see photo). The large G symbolizes the Italian word Gesù (Jesus) which is the surname and brand of the Venetian publisher with whom Marcantonio Raimondi worked for many years. In fact, the spectacular work was published in Venice by the publisher Niccolò and Domenico dal Gesù (or of Jesus), active in Venice between 1505 and 1545 and with many productions for the religious order of the Gesuati founded in 1360 by the rich Sienese merchant and banker Giovanni Colombini, and who, thanks to biblical illustrations, wanted to expand religious belief among the illiterate population, as was happening in Northern Europe. Marcantonio Raimondi made engraved copies of the Albrecht Dürer's "THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN" series, as Giorgio Vasari reports, and selling them in Venice in 1506. Title and Description: One ancient engraving from the series; "THE LIFE OF THE VIRGIN", without text; the Annunciation, with the Virgin in front of a praying desk on the right, approached from the left by the Archangel Gabriel; in the foreground a vase with lilies, underneath the stairs a chained badger, originally printed in 1503-05 circa, signed on the block by Albrecht Dürer (1471-1528) and re-engraved by Marcantonio Raimondi (1480-1534). Sheet size: H 293 x W 210 mm or 11.5 by 8.3 inches. The engraving is in good condition (as shown in the photo), well engraved, there are small abrasions, small defects, folds and small restorations, the margins are minimal just around the illustration. Printed on laid paper with watermark (as already described and photographed) and the mark of the Venetian publisher Niccolò and Domenico dal Gesù (or of Jesus) active in Venice between 1505-1545. No text on the back. Beautiful engraving drawn with great skill. References: Meder 1932 / Dürer Katalog (195); Bartsch / Le Peintre graveur (VII.132.83) & (XIV.406.627); Dodgson 1903, 1911 / Catalogue of Early German and Flemish Woodcuts in the BM, 2 vols (I.289.43); Schoch 2001-04 / Albrecht Dürer, das druckgraphische Werk. 3 vols I Intaglio, II Woodcuts, III Book illustrations (II.173); L. Pon, Raphael, Dürer and Marcantonio Raimondi: Copying and the Italian Renaissance Print, New Haven 2004; K.T. Parker, 'The Influence of Marcantonio Raimondi on the Nordic Art of the 16th Century', The Burlington Magazine 64 (1934), p. 46-47 (review); E. H. Wouk 'Marcantonio Raimondi, Raphael and the image multiplied', Manchester University, 2016, n°16, p. 148 et 149; Shoemaker, I.H. The engravings of Marcantonio Raimondi, c1981:t.p. (Marcantonio Raimondi). Illustrator/Engraver: Marcantonio Raimondi (1480-1534), the engraver trained by Raphael, first practiced by copying the style of Francesco Francia (1447-1517) and the German woodcuts into line engravings. Marcantonio became an engraver of remarkable power and through him, the pure art of line-engraving reached its maturity. He retained much of the simple early Italian manner in his backgrounds. His figures are modeled boldly in curved lines, crossing each other in the darker shades, but left single in the passages from dark to light and breaking away in fine dots as they approach the light itself, which is of pure white paper. A new Italian school of engraving was born, which put aside minute details for a broad, harmonious treatment. Shipping: via UPS, protected, INSURED and fully tracked package. Estimated time for Europe 3-5 working days. Shipping within one working day. You can combine shipping if you purchases several items from us, saving money and time.