An antique 18th-century etching by Francesco Bartolozzi RA, after an original drawing by Pietro Testa (1612–1650). The work depicts the Holy Family with a shepherd and the infant Christ, a devotional subject popular in Baroque religious art.
The etching is inscribed:
Artists
Francesco Bartolozzi RA (1728–1815)
Florentine engraver celebrated for his refined stipple technique. Son of a goldsmith, Bartolozzi studied painting in Florence, trained in Venice, and established his career in Rome. Invited to London in 1764, he worked for King George III, producing engravings after Hans Holbein’s Windsor drawings and interpretations of works by Italian masters. He was a founding member of the Royal Academy and one of the most prominent engravers of the 18th century.
Pietro Testa (1612–1650)
Italian Baroque painter, draughtsman, and etcher. Active in Rome, Testa trained under Domenichino and Pietro da Cortona and later worked for patrons such as Marchese Giustiniani and Cassiano dal Pozzo. His drawings, many preserved in collections across Europe, are admired for their intellectual depth, precision, and influence on Roman Baroque art.
Dimensions
Condition Report
Pre-owned, with age-related wear consistent with its late 18th-century origin
Surface shows minor toning and light foxing
Frame with light handling wear; overall presentation remains attractive
An antique 18th-century etching by Francesco Bartolozzi RA, after an original drawing by Pietro Testa (1612–1650). The work depicts the Holy Family with a shepherd and the infant Christ, a devotional subject popular in Baroque religious art.
The etching is inscribed:
Artists
Francesco Bartolozzi RA (1728–1815)
Florentine engraver celebrated for his refined stipple technique. Son of a goldsmith, Bartolozzi studied painting in Florence, trained in Venice, and established his career in Rome. Invited to London in 1764, he worked for King George III, producing engravings after Hans Holbein’s Windsor drawings and interpretations of works by Italian masters. He was a founding member of the Royal Academy and one of the most prominent engravers of the 18th century.
Pietro Testa (1612–1650)
Italian Baroque painter, draughtsman, and etcher. Active in Rome, Testa trained under Domenichino and Pietro da Cortona and later worked for patrons such as Marchese Giustiniani and Cassiano dal Pozzo. His drawings, many preserved in collections across Europe, are admired for their intellectual depth, precision, and influence on Roman Baroque art.
Dimensions
Condition Report
Pre-owned, with age-related wear consistent with its late 18th-century origin
Surface shows minor toning and light foxing
Frame with light handling wear; overall presentation remains attractive
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