Vannuccini, Enrico (1900–1990), printed by Bolaffio, Italian Ex Libris centre, Milan, ‘Ex libris for Mary Alice Ercolini’, 1950, copper engraving, signed and dated with pencil in the lower right margin, 14 x 16,5 cm.
It is Sail in Amsterdam, from last Wednesday the IJ is loaded with boats, tall and small. Every night there is an impressive fire work show.
Back to the boats. Of course there is an pharaonic answer. Here I chose the form of an ex-libris etching, the signature medium of the Italian artist Enrico Vannuccini. This one he made for Mary Alice Ercolini, herself also an artist that made ex librisses.
The connotation with her Royal Cleopatra is obvious, the protecting uraeus on het forehead and cork screw curls as could be found on Roman scupltures of Isis. Although she lazely lays in her bark in an Orientalist way, the Egptian connotation is obvious by the two pyramids in the back ground. Her gawn slipped downwards, in a fashion that again relates to the nineteenth century. Her arm lazily hangs in the water, over a sphinx support that is paralleled by the second one on the other side of the ship. The feline character is confirmed by the black cat.