DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.73058#0031
Bartolozzi: Sketch of his Life.
excellence—which he pointed out—of Vivares' style in the " Italian Ball and Wedding,"
exclaiming, "Vivares ! Ah, he is the finest landscape engraver in the world ; his needle
paints upon the copper, so light, so full of taste, so airy; his skies are in motion! I
esteemed it an honour to engrave the figures in his landscapes, for then I was sure to live
for ever." And, indeed, whenever real talent was shown by his brother-artists, Bartolozzi
was unstinting in praise. In showing to one of his visitors some proofs stippled by
Thomas Burke from Angelica Kauffman, he remarked upon the mellowness, delicacy,
power, and richness of their effect in terms of the highest commendation. Burke was an
Irishman ; he studied mezzotint engraving under his able countryman, Dixon, and learned
stippling from Ryland, whom he far surpassed in taste and general beauty of effect. He
gave to his plates a peculiar quality, in which the high finish of stippling and the force
and delicate softness of mezzotinto were united. Burke is mentioned by Anthony
Pasquin * as an engraver who is " much applauded for the soft and beautiful tone of his
* "Authentic History of the Professors of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture who have practised in Ireland."
London, 1796; to which there is a frontispiece portrait of the author engraved by Bartolozzi.
prints, and is so much a favourite with Angelica Kauffman, that she stipulates as
frequently as occasions offer, that he shall copy her pictures." Prints by Burke can at
present be purchased for comparatively little, but it is perfectly safe to prophesy that the
time is not far distant when they will command very high prices indeed.
A record of Bartolozzi, showing him in a more prosaic and less attractive aspect than
that in which he is presented to us by most of his contemporaries, is preserved in the
" Memoirs of the Life of Madame Vestris," —a sixpenny gossipy and somewhat scurrilous
book, in which there is evidently more fiction than fact :—
" The engraver, the uncle * of Madame Vestris, was amiable in private life, though
* An error : the grandfather, of course.
every way eccentric; he was fond of his bottle. Lord Craven, who fancied himself an
artist, sent for Bartolozzi, and engaged him to make one of his best engravings from an
East India design of his, for which he agreed to give him two hundred pounds.
"' Good God, 'tis little money, put I'll do it, mine lort, you are my very goot friend.'
" Everything was arranged ; the engraver was to work in the house, and dine at his
lordship's table. Lord Craven was only liberal unto his mistresses. The first day, after
the bottle had passed, he showed the engraver into the working-room, and there left him.
Bartolozzi had no idea but this was only a visit of ceremony, to inspect the apparatus, and
then return to his 'bottle and friend'; so he untied his neckcloth, according to custom,
spread it over his face, threw himself into the arm-chair, and fell asleep.
" About two hours after, Lord Craven, anxious to see the progress of the engraver, went
himself to call Bartolozzi to take coffee. Entering the room, he was surprised to find the
artist sound asleep, and snoring like the bass of his brother's* fiddle. His lordship looked
* His son's ; he was a musician. Vide chapter on Bartolozzi's family.
round, and, horror-struck, found all was in 'statu quo,'—no stroke of the engraver was
visible on the plate; upon which his lordship shook him by the collar until he awoke
13 him.
excellence—which he pointed out—of Vivares' style in the " Italian Ball and Wedding,"
exclaiming, "Vivares ! Ah, he is the finest landscape engraver in the world ; his needle
paints upon the copper, so light, so full of taste, so airy; his skies are in motion! I
esteemed it an honour to engrave the figures in his landscapes, for then I was sure to live
for ever." And, indeed, whenever real talent was shown by his brother-artists, Bartolozzi
was unstinting in praise. In showing to one of his visitors some proofs stippled by
Thomas Burke from Angelica Kauffman, he remarked upon the mellowness, delicacy,
power, and richness of their effect in terms of the highest commendation. Burke was an
Irishman ; he studied mezzotint engraving under his able countryman, Dixon, and learned
stippling from Ryland, whom he far surpassed in taste and general beauty of effect. He
gave to his plates a peculiar quality, in which the high finish of stippling and the force
and delicate softness of mezzotinto were united. Burke is mentioned by Anthony
Pasquin * as an engraver who is " much applauded for the soft and beautiful tone of his
* "Authentic History of the Professors of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture who have practised in Ireland."
London, 1796; to which there is a frontispiece portrait of the author engraved by Bartolozzi.
prints, and is so much a favourite with Angelica Kauffman, that she stipulates as
frequently as occasions offer, that he shall copy her pictures." Prints by Burke can at
present be purchased for comparatively little, but it is perfectly safe to prophesy that the
time is not far distant when they will command very high prices indeed.
A record of Bartolozzi, showing him in a more prosaic and less attractive aspect than
that in which he is presented to us by most of his contemporaries, is preserved in the
" Memoirs of the Life of Madame Vestris," —a sixpenny gossipy and somewhat scurrilous
book, in which there is evidently more fiction than fact :—
" The engraver, the uncle * of Madame Vestris, was amiable in private life, though
* An error : the grandfather, of course.
every way eccentric; he was fond of his bottle. Lord Craven, who fancied himself an
artist, sent for Bartolozzi, and engaged him to make one of his best engravings from an
East India design of his, for which he agreed to give him two hundred pounds.
"' Good God, 'tis little money, put I'll do it, mine lort, you are my very goot friend.'
" Everything was arranged ; the engraver was to work in the house, and dine at his
lordship's table. Lord Craven was only liberal unto his mistresses. The first day, after
the bottle had passed, he showed the engraver into the working-room, and there left him.
Bartolozzi had no idea but this was only a visit of ceremony, to inspect the apparatus, and
then return to his 'bottle and friend'; so he untied his neckcloth, according to custom,
spread it over his face, threw himself into the arm-chair, and fell asleep.
" About two hours after, Lord Craven, anxious to see the progress of the engraver, went
himself to call Bartolozzi to take coffee. Entering the room, he was surprised to find the
artist sound asleep, and snoring like the bass of his brother's* fiddle. His lordship looked
* His son's ; he was a musician. Vide chapter on Bartolozzi's family.
round, and, horror-struck, found all was in 'statu quo,'—no stroke of the engraver was
visible on the plate; upon which his lordship shook him by the collar until he awoke
13 him.