Literature: T.I.B. 263.1.

Very fine and harmonic dark impression with small margins all around the plate. At first sight this print may appear a bit soppy but it impressively demonstrates a sense of foreboding

of Christ’s suffering. The infant points Mary towards the cross, mounted on top of John’s staff. He points at his future suffering. Mary appears unperturbed whilst only two angels’ faces watching from the clouds, express apprehension.

Born into a family of painters and initially trained by his father, Giuseppe Nicola Nasini is known as a travelling painter who was active in several Italian cities and in Germany. He did his apprentice - ship in the workshop of Circo Ferri in Roma and in 1681 he was admitted to the famous Academy of St Luke under the patronage of the Medici family. He is known to have worked in Tuscany during this period, particularly in Siena. Befriending himself with an officer of Emperor Joseph I, Nasini gained fame and commissions in Germany. It seems that etching was only an occasional exercise for this artist. All other prints formerly attributed to Nasini are now rejected.