Standing female figure in loose classical robe, with arm outstretched

Art Historical Context

This exquisite etching, titled *Standing Female Figure in Loose Classical Robe, with Arm Outstretched*, captures a graceful woman in flowing drapery, her arm extended in a gesture evoking classical antiquity. Created in 1645 by the Bohemian engraver Wenceslaus Hol after an original design by the Italian Mannerist master Parmigianino (Girolamo Maria Mazzola, 3–1540), it bridges Renaissance elegance with 17th-centurymaking prowess. Parmigianino's sinuous lines and elongated forms, hallmarks of Mannerism, are faithfully reproduced here, infusing the figure with ethereal poise. As a rare "only state" etching—meaning no variant impressions exist—on a petite sheet (4 5/8 × 2 15/16 in.), it exemplifies Hollar's technical virtuosity. Etching allowed for intricate, fluid lines that mimic drawing, making high art accessible beyond paintings. Hollar, a prolific reproductive printmaker, produced thousands of works, democratizing images of classical and Renaissance subjects for collectors across Europe. Acquired by The Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1917 through the Joseph Pulitzer Bequest, this print from the Drawings and Prints department highlights women's idealized forms in art history, blending mythic grace with the era's fascination for Greco-Roman revival. A gem for admirers of delicate technique and timeless beauty.

About the Artist

Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola)|Wenceslaus Hollar · 1503–1540

Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola, known as Parmigianino, was born on January 11, 1503, in Parma, into a family of artists. The eighth child of painter Filippo Mazzola and Donatella Abbati, he lost his father to the plague at age two and was raised by his uncles, Michele and Pier Ilario Mazzola, modestly talented painters who taught him the techniques of the craft. By his late teens, Parmigianino d...