DENTE Marco

(Ravenna ? 1493 – Rome 1527)

Italian engraver probably born in Ravenna, as indicated by his monogram SR (Sculptor Ravegnanus) present in numerous engravings and belonging to a patrician family already present in Rome in 1510. Since 1515, at the request of Raffaello Sanzio for the translation of his drawings, he was active together with Agostino de Musi (Venetian) at the workshop of Marcantonio Raimondi. In addition to translating the great sculptures of classical statuary into his engravings, Marco Dente dedicated himself to Raffaello’s subjects as a true novator of Raimondi’s school with his “pictorial prints”.

The group’s prints marked with “SR” or “R”, about forty, belong to different genres and themes and have very different stylistic features and inspiration. Most reflect Raffaello’s inventions, paintings and drawings. From the comparison of the engravings of Marco Dente with the specimens of the same subject realized by other engravers, an important element emerged: many of Dente’s prints, that used to be considered copies by Marcantonio Raimondi and Agostino Veneziano, are now classified as prototypes from which these engravers have subsequently derived their engravings. He died in Rome during the plunder of 1527.