Personification of Engraving (Allegoria dell'incisione)
1879
Medium
etching, aquatint, and drypoint on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 13.1 × 15.9 cm (5 3/16 × 6 1/4 in.) sheet: 19.1 × 26.3 cm (7 1/2 × 10 3/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Purchased as the Gift of Ann and Matthew Nimetz
Accession Number
2014.107.2
Art Historical Context
Domenico Morelli's *Personification of Engraving (Allegoria dell'incisione)* created in 1879, is a captivating allegory that brings the art of printmaking to life. As a leading figure in 19th-century Italian art, Morelli—known for his dramatic historical paintings and leadership at the Naples Academy—here celebrates the engraver's craft through a symbolic female figure, embodying the elegance and precision of the medium. This intimate etching, with its plate measuring just 13.1 × 15.9 cm, invites viewers to appreciate the technical mastery behind reproductive prints that democratized art durin...