Leonora - Francesco Bartolozzi

A refined 1781 stipple engraving by Francesco Bartolozzi, after a composition by Angelica Kauffman, depicting a young woman with a birdcage.

This stipple engraving, titled Leonora, is a fine example of the collaborative print culture in late eighteenth-century London. The work is based on an original composition by the Swiss Neoclassical painter Angelica Kauffman, with the engraving executed by the Italian master Francesco Bartolozzi. Published by John Walker in 1781, the print captures a young woman in a moment of quiet reflection, holding a birdcage suspended by a ribbon. Bartolozzi was instrumental in popularising the stipple engraving technique in Britain. This method involves using small dots rather than lines to create tonal gradations, resulting in a soft, painterly quality that mimics the appearance of chalk drawings. The figure of Leonora is rendered with delicate precision, her posture and expression reflecting the sentimental themes common in the art of the period. The composition is contained within a rectangular frame, with the title inscribed below in a formal script, followed by the publication details identifying the address near Somerset House. Kauffman, a founding member of the Royal Academy, frequently collaborated with Bartolozzi to disseminate her work to a wider audience. This print demonstrates the technical skill required to translate the nuances of a painted original into the medium of engraving. The subtle shading on the drapery and the soft focus on the subject's features demonstrate the capabilities of the stipple method. As a historical document, the print provides insight into the aesthetic preferences of the Georgian era, where domestic scenes and literary subjects held significant appeal for collectors and the public alike. The paper retains the original plate marks, offering a clear view of the printing process used by the workshop of John Walker.