[HAMILTON VASES]. Two bold terracotta prints from the "Peintures des vases antiques de la Collection de son Excellence M. le Chevalier Hamilton" [in Italian: Pitture de vasi antichi etc.]

Florence: Société Calcographique, 1803. Very good. Two prints, matted and framed (frame sizes approx. 460 x 360 mm, visible portions: approx. 293 x 207). One print with dampstaining along left side (SEE IMAGE). These are original prints, NOT reproductions! TWO OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL TERRACOTTA PRINTS OF ETRUSCAN VASES FROM WILLIAM HAMILTON'S SECOND COLLECTION.

Hamilton actually formed two collections of Greek vases; the first he sold to the British Museum. The present prints depict vases from his second collection, part of which was lost at sea. The surviving portion was sold to Thomas Hope.

Our prints belong to the 1801-1803 Florence (truncated) Société Calcographique edition of the "Peintures des vases antiques / Pitture de vasi antichi" (1801-1803) which is distinguished by the sumptuous TERRACOTTA printed ground onto which the black ink was applied directly (one has handpainted with highlights).

Hamilton's second collection was first made known to the public through the greatly inferior UNCOLORED outlines of the vase designs, published in Wilhelm Tischbein's "Collection of Engravings from Ancient Vases [...] discovered in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies [...] now in the possession of Sir William Hamilton" (Naples, 1791-1795).

As is well known, Hamilton's first collection was published in the famed "Collection of Etruscan, Greek and Roman Antiquities from the cabinet of the Honble. Wm. Hamilton" (in French: "Antiquités étrusques, grecques, et romaines tirées du cabinet de M. Hamilton" (1766-67) compiled by Pierre Francois Hugues (called d'Hancarville). The Société Calcographique prints are often (mis)attributed to the better-known d'Hancarville series; even Christie's London experts did so in the catalogue of their 13 Jun 2018 sale (lot 41, a collection of nine frame prints); despite this error, the lot nonetheless realized GBP 10,000 (!). (Inventory #: 4035)