Francesco Bartolozzi
Medium
mezzotint on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed within plate mark): 38.1 x 28 cm (15 x 11 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1991.89.3
Art Historical Context
This elegant mezzotint print, titled *Francesco Bartolozzi* (1785), captures the likeness of the renowned Italian engraver Francesco Bartolozzi, a master of stipple engraving who flourished in 18th-century London. Created by Thomas Watson after an original portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds—one of Britain's foremost painters and founder of the Royal Academy—it exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the era's portraiture. Reynolds' painterly style, with its soft modeling and psychological depth, translates beautifully into print form, making elite likenesses accessible to a broader audience. The...