Venus and Adonis

Art Historical Context

This exquisite print, titled *Venus and Adonis*, captures the poignant mythological encounter between the goddess of love and her mortal beloved, drawn from classical sources. Created on August 21, 1778, by the collaborative efforts of Francesco Bartolozzi, Richard Cosway and J. Walker, work reflects the late-century fascination with ancient tales passion and tragedy. Bartolozzi, renowned for refined printmaking, likely translated Cosway’s design into this delicate reproduction, bringing the story to a wider audience through the accessible medium of engraving. The artwork etching combined with stipple engraving, printed in a warm reddish-brown ink that lends a soft, painterly quality to the figures. This technique, popular in Georgian England, allowed artists to achieve subtle tonal gradations and textures, evoking the intimacy of a drawing while enabling multiple impressions. Such prints played a vital role in disseminating classical narratives and artistic styles across Europe and beyond. oused in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this piece exemplifies the period’s blend of technical innovation and cultural reverence for antiquity, inviting viewers to reflect on timeless themes of love and loss.

About the Artist

Francesco Bartolozzi|Richard Cosway|J. Walker · 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...