DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61668#0061
HIS PLACE IN FLORENTINE ART 35
of the background, he betrays the habits of the niello-
worker, but his scheme of shading in the figures shows
a different aim—the imitation of pen-drawing. Nearly
all the engraving which preceded him, for example the
“Planet” series, attributed to Finiguerra, had been
executed in what is called the “ fine manner,” that is to
say, shaded with fine lines laid closely together and
often cross-hatched. This system produced—most likely
intentionally—the effect of a washed drawing. Some-
what later—probably between 1470 and 1480—the so-
called “ broad manner ” came into use, simple parallel
lines of open shading, certainly based on the imitation
of pen-drawing; for example copies of the “ fine
manner” Sibyls and Prophets, and the plates in the
style of Fra Filippo, illustrating the Life of the Virgin
and Christ. As the Battle of the Nudes must have
preceded these, it may be inferred that the change of
technique was due to Antonio. In his plate, however,
there is another element of shading lacking in the
“ broad manner,” the interlaying of oblique strokes at
a very small angle to the principal lines, as though the
artist were making a return-stroke with the pen. These
lines are very lightly engraved, and do not appear in
the more worn impressions, but in the best existing
print-—that in the collection of Prince Lichtenstein at
Feldsberg—they are plainly visible.*
These peculiarities of Antonio’s technique appear
* For these notes on the engraving of Antonio I am indebted to
Mr. A. M. Hind of the Department of Prints and Drawings,
British Museum.
of the background, he betrays the habits of the niello-
worker, but his scheme of shading in the figures shows
a different aim—the imitation of pen-drawing. Nearly
all the engraving which preceded him, for example the
“Planet” series, attributed to Finiguerra, had been
executed in what is called the “ fine manner,” that is to
say, shaded with fine lines laid closely together and
often cross-hatched. This system produced—most likely
intentionally—the effect of a washed drawing. Some-
what later—probably between 1470 and 1480—the so-
called “ broad manner ” came into use, simple parallel
lines of open shading, certainly based on the imitation
of pen-drawing; for example copies of the “ fine
manner” Sibyls and Prophets, and the plates in the
style of Fra Filippo, illustrating the Life of the Virgin
and Christ. As the Battle of the Nudes must have
preceded these, it may be inferred that the change of
technique was due to Antonio. In his plate, however,
there is another element of shading lacking in the
“ broad manner,” the interlaying of oblique strokes at
a very small angle to the principal lines, as though the
artist were making a return-stroke with the pen. These
lines are very lightly engraved, and do not appear in
the more worn impressions, but in the best existing
print-—that in the collection of Prince Lichtenstein at
Feldsberg—they are plainly visible.*
These peculiarities of Antonio’s technique appear
* For these notes on the engraving of Antonio I am indebted to
Mr. A. M. Hind of the Department of Prints and Drawings,
British Museum.