Titelprent met personificatie van de schilderkunst

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

This 1796 etching by Francesco Bartolozzi functions as a title print, or frontispiece, centered on the personification of painting. The composition presents an allegorical female figure embodying the art form, a common motif in late-eighteenth-century European prints that celebrated artistic ideals during the Enlightenment. At just 217 by 305 millimeters, the work was designed for intimate viewing, likely as the opening page of an art publication or portfolio. Bartolozzi’s choice of etching allowed for fine linear detail and expressive shading, techniques that suited the refined, symbolic sub...

About the Artist

Francesco Bartolozzi · 1727–1815

Francesco Bartolozzi (1727–1815) was an Italian engraver whose most productive period was spent in London, where he became the leading exponent of stipple engraving and a founding member of the Royal Academy. Born in Florence and trained first as a painter before turning to engraving in Venice, he established his reputation in Rome before being recruited by the English Royal Librarian Richard Dalt...