Antonio Triva

The Northern Italian Baroque painter and printmaker, Antonio Triva, probably received his initial training from his father Francesco, who later accompanied him to Venice, where he produced monumental paintings for the church of Santa Maria della Salute between 1658 and 1664. Other commissions came from Rovigno, Brescia and Turin. At the behest of Henriette Adelaide of Savoy, the wife of Ferdinand Maria Elector of Bavaria, Triva arrived at the electoral court in Munich in the autumn of 1669 together with his younger sister and assistant Flaminia. Here he played a major part in the decoration of the newly designed residence, which the Electress wished to see adorned in fresh Baroque splendour.

In addition to his activities as court painter Antonio Triva tried his hand on various occasions as an engraver and etcher and so put together a small but high-quality printed oeuvre. Fifteen graphic works are now known to be by Triva, thirteen of which are described by Nagler is his lexicon of artists as “intelligently and carefully treated” prints. They include the rare depiction of the Rest on the Flight, which is on offer here in an early impression before the addition of Remondini’s address on the ground beneath the Madonna’s robe.

A very fine, nuanced impression printed with delicate tone, with even margins. Minor foxing, an unobtrusive printing crease in the left of the image, otherwise in excellent condition.