Visitation (copy in reverse)
Medium
Engraving; reverse copy
Dimensions
sheet: 14 15/16 x 10 11/16 in. (38 x 27.2 cm) plate: 9 1/8 x 6 5/16 in. (23.2 x 16 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1949
Accession Number
49.95.2540
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Visitation (copy in reverse)*, a delicate engraving that captures a pivotal biblical moment: the Virgin Mary's joyous visit to her cousin Elizabeth announcing the coming of Christ. Created by engraver Joseph Wagner after the composition of renowned Italian Baroque master Carlo Maratti (162–1713), this print reverses the original design—a common technique in reproductive engraving to mimic the reflective quality of paintings. Maratti, a leading figure in late 17th-century Roman art, blended classical harmony with dramatic Baroque emotion, making his works highly sought after for such co...
About the Artist
Joseph Wagner|Carlo Maratti · 1706–1780
Joseph Wagner (1706–1780) was a highly accomplished German engraver and draughtsman who spent the majority of his career in Venice, where he became one of the most important figures in eighteenth-century Venetian printmaking. Born in Thalendorf near Lake Constance in 1706, Wagner initially trained as a painter under the Venetian-born artist Jacopo Amigoni before being persuaded to dedicate himself...