Venus and Adonis
August 21, 1778
Medium
Etching and stipple engraving, printed in reddish brown ink
Dimensions
Plate: 9 7/8 × 7 1/2 in. (25.1 × 19 cm) Sheet: 11 1/4 × 8 9/16 in. (28.5 × 21.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gertrude and Thomas Jefferson Mumford Collection, Gift of Dorothy Quick Mayer, 1942
Accession Number
42.119.76
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 wit...
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...