Benedictus Antonio Van Assen, An allegory of Music, order c.1790

Van Assen (Benedictus Antonio) An allegory of Music, c.1790

An ethereal composition in oval, after Giovanni Battista Cipriani, possibly depicting Clio, the muse of lyre playing, seated on a cloud in billowing classical dress, attended by two putti, one supporting, or possibly tuning, the lyre, the other holding sheet music. Cipriani (1727-1785) was born in Florence, but travelled to England in 1755, where he married and remained until his death in Hammersmith. He produced many decorative designs for interiors and for engraving, often by his fellow Italian ex-patriot, Francesco Bartolozzi, but occasionally by others, as in this example by the Dutch-born Antonio van Assen (fl. c.1767-c.1817) who had also settled in London.

Stipple-engraving on laid paper, printed in bistre with hand-colouring in blue, 225 x 280 mm. (8 7/8 x 11 in), trimmed within the platemark but order well outside the engraved border.