Plate 1: A Procession
Original title: Plate 1: A Procession
kurzbeschreibung
Pietro Santi Bartoli's etching Tafel 1: Eine Prozession dates from between 1660 and 1690 and belongs to a series reproducing ancient Roman reliefs. The landscape-format sheet measures 16.2 × 45.7 cm and presents a group of people in a procession.
Description
The layout stretches wide and follows a steady movement from left to right. The figures appear in changing poses: some drag loads on their heads or in their hands, others stride forward. Their clothing ranges from simple garments to more elaborate fabrics inspired by Roman models. Trees and rocks frame the action and set it in a natural environment. The even light brings out the outlines of people and objects clearly.
Context
Pietro Santi Bartoli (1635–1700) worked as an Italian engraver and antiquarian and was valued for his reproductions of ancient Roman art. Collectors and scholars interested in documenting archaeological finds commissioned such works from him. The etching falls in the second half of the 17th century, a time when the study of Roman antiquity in Rome received new impetus. Bartoli's series served artists as models and antiquarians as scholarly reference.
Impact
A calm, solemn mood emanates from the sheet, carried by the balanced distribution of figures and the clear linework. Thanks to the precise details and the classicizing clothing, the procession feels credible and invites close examination.
Technique
The etching is made by scratching lines into a metal plate and then biting them with acid. This process allows fine, even strokes that capture the details of the figures and the background precisely. The monochrome print emphasizes the contours and the graphic impact of the image.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)