Rural Innocence
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Bequest of Erskine Hewitt
Accession Number
1938-57-809
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Rural Innocence** (1785) is a delicate print by Francesco Bartol, an Italian engraver for his work in England during the late 18th century Born in Florence in 1727, Bartolozzi a pivotal figure in British printmaking after moving to London in 1764, where he served as engraver to King George III. Active until his death in 1815, he in reproductive prints that captured the elegance of contemporary paintings, often evoking the Rococo spirit of grace and whimsy transitioning into Neoclassicism. The title suggests a pastoral scene celebrating the purity and simplicity of rural life—a popular theme ...