Series of Cartouche Designs

Album containing 20 prints from a series of 24 known under the title "Recueil de divers cartels à la manière antique, de l'invention de Fréderic Zuccaro". This title was only given to the series in 1765, however, by the French publisher Charles-Antoine Jombert who reissued 19 plates from the series in his Repertoire des Artistes. There appear to be no direct links to the Italian artist, nor an original Italian print series. Instead, the series appears to originate from France, where it was engraved and published by Pierre Firens around 1610. It is known in several other states and editions including one by Pierre II Mariette. The name of Jacob van der Heyden appears on one of the prints in the current set, suggesting that he too may have published an edition of the prints. The series enjoyed great popularity throughout Europe during the seventeenth century, and is known in several other copies made in France by H. Picart, in Belgium by Petrus Rucholle, and in England by Robert White.

The prints in this album appear to have been assembled over time and derive from various editions of the series. Some of the plates are from a state before numbering, while others have been numbered in the lower left corner.