Diana asleep by a fountain
Mezzotint
ca. 1690 (designed), after 1706 (made)
ca. 1690 (designed), after 1706 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Object Type
Mezzotint is a form of tonal engraving. The engraver first creates a surface that will print solid black by roughening the surface of a copper plate with a serrated tool called a 'rocker'. This process raises a fragile burr of displaced copper which will hold a lot of printing ink. The design is then created by smoothing this burr in varying degrees to print a range of velvety tones. For white highlights, the engraver polishes the burr completely away, making the plate perfectly smooth once more, so no ink will adhere after the surface has been wiped.
Design & Designing
Robert Robinson did not invent this composition. He copied it from a Flemish engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert (1603-1684) of a fresco by Pietro da Cortona in the Pitti Palace in Florence, painted in 1642-1644. Robinson changed the semi-circle of the engraving, which follows the lunette shape of the painting, into a rectangle.
People
John Smith (1652-1743), another printmaker who specialised in mezzotints, acquired the printing plate for this mezzotint after Robert Robinson died. John Smith added to the plate his name and the letters 'ex', an abbreviation for excudit, Latin for 'published by'. Publishers ensured that their name appeared on prints so a collector who admired a particular print would know where to buy it.
Mezzotint is a form of tonal engraving. The engraver first creates a surface that will print solid black by roughening the surface of a copper plate with a serrated tool called a 'rocker'. This process raises a fragile burr of displaced copper which will hold a lot of printing ink. The design is then created by smoothing this burr in varying degrees to print a range of velvety tones. For white highlights, the engraver polishes the burr completely away, making the plate perfectly smooth once more, so no ink will adhere after the surface has been wiped.
Design & Designing
Robert Robinson did not invent this composition. He copied it from a Flemish engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert (1603-1684) of a fresco by Pietro da Cortona in the Pitti Palace in Florence, painted in 1642-1644. Robinson changed the semi-circle of the engraving, which follows the lunette shape of the painting, into a rectangle.
People
John Smith (1652-1743), another printmaker who specialised in mezzotints, acquired the printing plate for this mezzotint after Robert Robinson died. John Smith added to the plate his name and the letters 'ex', an abbreviation for excudit, Latin for 'published by'. Publishers ensured that their name appeared on prints so a collector who admired a particular print would know where to buy it.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Diana asleep by a fountain (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Mezzotint, ink on paper |
Brief description | Mezzotint of Diana asleep by a fountain |
Physical description | Mezzotint print on paper |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | I. Smith ex |
Gallery label |
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Object history | Designed by Robert Robinson (active 1674-1706); published in London by John Smith (born in Northampton, 1652, died in London, 1743); based on an engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert II (1603-1684) after a design by Pietro da Cortona (1596-1669). An impression of the engraving on which this mezzotint is based, is in the V&A collection, accession number 21126.13. |
Production | About 1690, this impression after 1706 |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | Object Type Mezzotint is a form of tonal engraving. The engraver first creates a surface that will print solid black by roughening the surface of a copper plate with a serrated tool called a 'rocker'. This process raises a fragile burr of displaced copper which will hold a lot of printing ink. The design is then created by smoothing this burr in varying degrees to print a range of velvety tones. For white highlights, the engraver polishes the burr completely away, making the plate perfectly smooth once more, so no ink will adhere after the surface has been wiped. Design & Designing Robert Robinson did not invent this composition. He copied it from a Flemish engraving by Cornelis Bloemaert (1603-1684) of a fresco by Pietro da Cortona in the Pitti Palace in Florence, painted in 1642-1644. Robinson changed the semi-circle of the engraving, which follows the lunette shape of the painting, into a rectangle. People John Smith (1652-1743), another printmaker who specialised in mezzotints, acquired the printing plate for this mezzotint after Robert Robinson died. John Smith added to the plate his name and the letters 'ex', an abbreviation for excudit, Latin for 'published by'. Publishers ensured that their name appeared on prints so a collector who admired a particular print would know where to buy it. |
Bibliographic references |
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Collection | |
Accession number | E.122-1998 |
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Record created | March 27, 2003 |
Record URL |
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