Twaalf neuzen en monden

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2760

Art Historical Context

Francesco Bartolozzi, the celebrated Italian engraver who spent much of his career in England, created this delicate etching titled “Twaalf neuzen en monden” (“Twelve Noses and Mouths”) on 23 February 1796. The sheet presents a grid of carefully observed facial features, offering artists a practical study aid for capturing expression, proportion, and character—common in eighteenth-century drawing manuals. Executed in etching, a medium prized for its ability to render fine, supple lines, the print reflects Bartolozzi’s renowned precision and his role in popularizing instructional prints for both professionals and amateurs. At roughly 218 × 308 millimetres, the modest scale invites close examination, underscoring the Enlightenment-era fascination with anatomy and classical ideals of beauty. The collector’s mark Lugt 2760 further attests to the work’s enduring appeal among connoisseurs of graphic art, preserving its place in the history of reproductive printmaking.

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...