An allegory of painting
17th century
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 10 1/16 x 12 3/4 in. (25.6 x 32.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.3(51)
Art Historical Context
Welcome to *An Allegory of Painting a captivating 17th-century etching created by French engraver François Collignon a design by Italian Baroque artist Pietro Testa. 10 1/16 x 12 3/4 inches, this print personifies the art of painting through symbolic imagery, a popular Baroque motif that elevated painting to divine status. Testa, known for his intricate drawings and theoretical writings on art, often explored such allegories to celebrate creativity amid the era's artistic fervor in Rome. Etching, the medium here, was revolutionary in the 17th century for its expressive line quality and abilit...