The catalogue is exceptional in its detailed inclusion and translation of historic records and archives such as those of Frédéric Maximilien Waldeck, the collections of the Rylands Library, and the Raphael Collection of the Prince Consort at Windsor castle, among others. Its contributions, moreover, offer invaluable historical context, shedding light on the commercial potential of the relatively new technical process of metal-plate engraving, the growing influence of print dealers and publishers in early modern Europe, and beyond this, the aesthetic and commercial value of the printed image. Through catalogue essays, the reader is thus presented with a comprehensive journey of early visual reproduction, which brought with it new audiences and the development of commercial awareness and acumen. The story, although specific to Raphael, Marcantonio, and Renaissance Italy, is not dissimilar from that of countless other artists in history, who try to earn a living by experimenting with emerging technologies. These themes seem all too familiar, resonant with current discourses surrounding digital media and the issues regarding mass communication and copyright, exploitation and censorship, which are now encountered to a greater degree than ever before through access to and reliance on the internet and global dissemination via the web. Christopher Taylor, University of Leeds, CAA Reviews
This handsome catalogue accompanied an exhibition devoted to Marcantonio Raimondi held at the Whitworth, the art gallery of the University of Manchester, and is a welcome addition to the growing body of literature on the Renaissance engraver... Overall, the present catalogue provides a fresh analysis of Raimondis artistic output that is accessible to a wide audience at all levels. Giancarlo Fiorenza, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Renaissance Quarterly
Edward Wouk and his team at Manchester thus have added major insights to our existing knowledge, but they have also stimulated wider reflection in our critical thinking with this handsome, timely catalogue. Larry Silver, AAH Reviews 2017 -- .
