Portrait of Pietro Aretino (ca. 1517–20)
Original title: Portrait of Pietro Aretino
kurzbeschreibung
Marcantonio Raimondi made this portrait of Pietro Aretino around 1517–20 as an engraving after a model by Albrecht Dürer. The sheet shows the writer in half-length, wearing a turban-like headdress and a jacket with elaborate folds. A Latin poem below the portrait emphasizes the sitter's qualities.
Description
The man's gaze meets the viewer directly, his face framed by a thick, curly beard and mustache. On his head sits a headdress reminiscent of a turban, below which is a jacket with carefully worked folds. A plain dark background sets off the figure. A Latin poem occupies the lower zone of the image. Fine lines and hatching precisely model the contours and textures of face and clothing.
Context
Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) was an influential Renaissance writer and satirist active in Venice. Raimondi made the engraving after a model by Albrecht Dürer, evidence of the artistic exchange between Italy and Germany at the time. During this phase Raimondi was known for his reproductive prints after famous models. That the engraving exists in a second state points to revision and reissue—a sign of demand for the sheet.
Impact
The direct engagement and pronounced physiognomy give the portrait a present, almost monumental presence. The dark background and differentiated linework bring the facial features into focus, conveying intelligence and self-assurance. Portrait and Latin poem together create an intellectual-literary atmosphere.
Technique
As an engraving, the work was made by incising lines into a metal plate. Fine hatching and cross-hatching produce graduated tones and textures essential for rendering fabric and hair. Printing in black on paper accounts for the monochrome appearance.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)