This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/24/2024
SCOTTO, Hieronymus (ca. 1569 – 1610). Portrait of Hieronimi Scotti (Hieronimi Scotti Placentini Vera Effigies Illustriss Comitis). Aug[sburg]: Dominicus Custodius, 1592. Copperplate engraved oval portrait of the Italian court conjurer after a likeness by Antonio Abondio, dressed in a ruffled collar, neat hat, and court dress above a medallion depicting a hand holding writhing snakes and the Latin motto “Utcumque” at its apex. 8 7/8 x 6 ½”. Tissue reinforcements to verso at old central fold. RARE.
Dr. Dawes wrote extensively regarding Scotto in his “Rich Cabinet,” stating in part, “This Renaissance court conjurer seems first to have been noticed by Sidney Clarke (1924) who, in The Annals of Conjuring, observed that he was one of the foreign jugglers in England during the reigns of Elizabeth and James. … He is said to have been a knight of the Piacenza in the Italy Duchy of Parma … He travelled as an envoy to various courts in Europe where he often performed with a repertoire of card tricks and mentalism. Scotto also had a magic mirror in which images could be produced by some optical means. … he was mentioned by Thomas Nash in The Unfortunate Traveller, or the Life of Jack Wilton (1594) who wrote, ‘Scotto that did juggling tricks here before the Queen.’ … Scotto is deduced to have performed for Queen Elizabeth on 12th May 1602; he is not named but referred to simply as ‘an Italian at court that doth wonderful tricks up on the cards.’”