Who painted Pinacotheca Hamptoniana?

Pinacotheca Hamptoniana was painted by George Bickham in 1719.

Where can I see Pinacotheca Hamptoniana?

Pinacotheca Hamptoniana is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Pinacotheca Hamptoniana?

Pinacotheca Hamptoniana is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Pinacotheca Hamptoniana

George Bickham , 1719

Pinacotheca Hamptoniana is a print by the Baroque artist George Bickham. It dates from 1719 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

The work is the Latin title page of a printed volume that reproduces the famous Raphael Cartoons, a series of seven monumental designs created for tapestry weaving in the early 16th century. The title page introduces the collection of prints that render these large-scale biblical scenes for a book format.

Subject & Meaning

The original cartoons depict narrative episodes from the lives of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, drawn by Raphael to fulfill a papal commission for tapestries. The title page summarizes this program, noting the biblical source material and the intended function of the images as decorative furnishings for royal interiors.

Technique & Style

The prints were produced by the French engraver Nicholas Dorigny, whose work represents an early example of large‑scale reproductive printmaking. Dorigny’s plates translate Raphael’s complex compositions into line and tone, a process that required seven years to complete and involved multiple intaglio techniques.

History & Provenance

The cartoons were commissioned by Pope Leo X and later acquired for the English royal collection on the advice of Peter Paul Rubens, becoming part of the future King Charles I’s holdings. In the 17th century King William placed them in Hampton Court Palace for safekeeping, and the printed volume has remained in the royal collection, on loan to the museum since 1865.

Context

The title page reflects the early modern interest in disseminating Renaissance masterpieces through prints, a practice that began shortly after the cartoons’ completion in 1516. Dorigny’s edition was discussed in the Spectator of 19 November 1711, highlighting its reputation as an invaluable record of Raphael’s designs.