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Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, after a self portrait

Printing Plate
late 19th century-1917 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Francesco Bartolozzi (1727–1815) was an Italian living in London and one of the foremost practitioners of the stipple technique. using the process of stipple engraving to reproduce a red chalk drawing originally made by Leonardo da Vinci. In 1642 a German soldier Ludwig von Siegen (ca. 1609–ca. 1680) developed a spiked roulette wheel, which could be run over the metal plate to make the process of stippling easier and quicker. The method became prevalent during the following century. Stipple images were usually printed in colour, with red being the most common.
The stippling wheel could be used either directly on the plate to create a series of small pits in the metal or with the etching print process by being run through etching ground exposing the metal, which was then etched. When printed, the resultant image was composed of dots. It could be touched up with line work where needed. It is possible to tell an engraved stipple image from the etched versions by looking at the shape of the dots through a magnifier; more regular triangular shapes were created in the engraved method, while the etched dots were less well defined, since they were bitten by acid. This plate was engraved.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePortrait of Leonardo da Vinci, after a self portrait (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Copper and stipple
Brief description
Stipple and line-engraved copper plate. Francesco Bartolozzi after Leonardo da Vinci. Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci, published 1 September 1795.
Physical description
Portrait of Leonardo da Vinci
Dimensions
  • Height: 32.7cm
  • Width: 24.5cm
  • Plate thickness depth: 1mm (approx)
Marks and inscriptions
  • LEONARDO- / VINCI (Lower centre (reversed))
  • From the Original Drawing by Leonardo da Vinci. (Lower right (reversed))
  • Engraved by F. Bartolozzi R.A. HIstorical Engraver to his Majesty. (Lower left (reversed))
  • IN HIS MAJESTYS COLLECTION (Lower centre (reversed))
  • Published as the Act directs Sepr 1. 1795 by L. Chamberlaine. (Lower centre (reversed))
Subjects depicted
Summary
Francesco Bartolozzi (1727–1815) was an Italian living in London and one of the foremost practitioners of the stipple technique. using the process of stipple engraving to reproduce a red chalk drawing originally made by Leonardo da Vinci. In 1642 a German soldier Ludwig von Siegen (ca. 1609–ca. 1680) developed a spiked roulette wheel, which could be run over the metal plate to make the process of stippling easier and quicker. The method became prevalent during the following century. Stipple images were usually printed in colour, with red being the most common.
The stippling wheel could be used either directly on the plate to create a series of small pits in the metal or with the etching print process by being run through etching ground exposing the metal, which was then etched. When printed, the resultant image was composed of dots. It could be touched up with line work where needed. It is possible to tell an engraved stipple image from the etched versions by looking at the shape of the dots through a magnifier; more regular triangular shapes were created in the engraved method, while the etched dots were less well defined, since they were bitten by acid. This plate was engraved.
Associated object
E.2128A-1917 (Version)
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1916-1918, London: HMSO, 1920.
Collection
Accession number
E.2128-1917

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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