Four Heads (from Characaturas by Leonardo da Vinci, from Drawings by Wincelslaus Hollar, out of the Portland Museum) (1786, Met-Objekt 5568)
Original title: Four Heads (from Characaturas by Leonardo da Vinci, from Drawings by Wincelslaus Hollar, out of the Portland Museum)
kurzbeschreibung
Four separate head portraits in profile, each set within its own square frame, brought together on a single sheet: Wenceslaus Hollar's etching 'Four Heads,' dated 1786, reproduces drawings by Leonardo da Vinci. The work was printed by the etching process on paper.
Description
On the sheet, four heads in profile face one another, each enclosed in its own square frame. Posture, hairstyle, and headgear differ from head to head; expressions range from serious to a slight smile. In black and white, contours and shading emerge solely through lines and strokes. The heads are evenly spaced across the surface, and the light appears present from all sides, with no discernible shadows.
Context
The 1786 etching derives from drawings by Leonardo da Vinci that Wenceslaus Hollar reproduced. Hollar, a seventeenth-century Bohemian printmaker, was known for his faithful renderings. The sheet belongs to the collection of the Portland Museum, a significant art collection. Since the date 1786 falls well after Hollar's death in 1677, it is likely a later publication or reissue of his prints.
Impact
Clear lines and the symmetrical arrangement of the four heads give the sheet a calm, balanced presence. The varied facial expressions bring life to the series of portraits, while the even lighting sets a factual, almost documentary tone.
Technique
In etching, the drawing is bitten into a metal plate and then printed on paper. Lines and hatching define the contours and shading of the heads. The sheet measures 8 1/16 x 6 9/16 inches, the plate 7 13/16 x 6 5/16 inches.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)