Marcantonio Raimondi Biography
Marcantonio Raimondi (1480 - 1534) was the most famous and prolific Italian engraver of the sixteenth century. He studied with Francesco Francia and moved from using niello to copper engraving. Already in 1504, Filoteo Achillini in the Viridario considered him a great designer and engraver. He began to develop his personal style through the use of niellistic techniques and the "fine Florentine manner" which can be seen in some of his early works such as “David with the head of Goliath” and the portrait “Achilini playing the guitar". In 1506, he moved to Venice where he worked for the De Jesu brothers, also translating Dürer's works. In 1508, he moved to Florence where he took inspiration from the cartoon of "The War of Pisa" by Michelangelo for the creation of the engraving of "Venus, Mars and Cupid" and prepared "Climbers" which were engraved in 1510 in Rome. Here he meets Raphael, of whom he becomes a friend and collaborator, reproducing many of his works. Marcantonio tries to conform his style more and more to the characteristics of Raphael's art, trying to reach painting. Under his influence, in fact, the first attempts were developed to resolve the chiaroscuro stain in terms of engraving and the delimitation of planes through tonal highlights. There were numerous students of Marcantonio, including the famous Marco Dente and Agostino De Musis, known as Veneziano. After Raphael's death, Marcantonio continued to engrave, especially on works by Baccio Bandinelli and Giulio Romano.
