Etching and burin The maternal delights, Portrait of Lady Burghers with her son by Giuseppe Longhi, 1823

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Giuseppe Longhi (Monza 1766 - Milan 1831) was an Italian painter and engraver. He studied in the seminary first at Celana, then Monza and finally Milan; his artistic inclinations were immediately revealed through the sketches he made for his professors and fellow students. After completing his studies in Milan, he returned to his native city, even though he was forced to work in his father's profession as a silk merchant, he never abandoned his passion and continued to study drawing, anatomy, perspective and engraving. In particular, he studied Rembrandt's graphic art, progressing in the techniques of cutting and stippling applied to pen portraits. In 1790 he was at the Brera Academy of Fine Arts where he followed the courses of Traballesi, Albertolli and Vangelisti and became a friend of Andrea Appiani. Longhi's production of engravings, both translations and inventions, was vast during the first thirty years of the 19th century and the artist, with his refined mark, received numerous awards and honorary positions. The print is taken from a painting by Thomas Lawrence (Bristol 1768 - London 1830) showing the portrait of Priscilla Anne Fane Countess of Westmorland (1793 - 18 February 1879), known as Lady Burghersh, portrayed with her son George Fane. Within a square frame created by the succession of parallel lines that create an impressive optical effect, we see the two figures almost facing each other. The woman is caught in profile, in three-quarter view, her face directed towards the spectator and smiling at him. Composed curls emerge from a flower-decorated bonnet and a sparkling necklace hangs from her neck. She holds her chubby, full-length son George in her arms, one arm raised as if in greeting. Strong chiaroscuro contrasts enhance the brightness of her complexion and clothes and envelop the scene in a silvery-grey light full of maternal love. In the background, a draped curtain gives way to a small portion of cloud-covered sky. At the bottom, beyond the frame, are engraved "Tommaso Lawrence dip.", "Gpe. Longhi inc. Milano 1823" and in the centre an embossed stamp with the author's initials GL. Excellent impression with intense blacks. Very good state of preservation. Wide margins beyond the copper plate. Rare example of a letter, i.e. before the verses, with Luigi Bardi's dedication to Lord Burghersh, Minister Plenipotentiary of His Britannic Majesty at the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, engraved in the lower margin. Another copy is kept in the Raccolta di Stampe Achille Bertarelli. Bibliography: La città di Brera, due secoli di incisione, 1996, n 59; Alberto Crespi, Giuseppe Longhi e la scuola di incisone dell'Accademia di Brera, Monza 1999, Giuseppe Longhi e Raffaello Morghen, L'incisione neoclassica di traduzione 1780 -1840, Monza, 2010, p 9, 11, 12, n 5. Artwork measurements: mm 357 x 304.

ID: 11318-1649173268-36641