Artwork
Print from Drawing Book
Print from Drawing Book is an ink print by the Baroque artist Luca Ciamberlano. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Print from Drawing Book is an early‑17th‑century engraving executed by the Italian artist Luca Ciamberlano, dating to around 1615. The work exists as a black‑and‑white print, produced by incising a design onto a metal plate and then transferring the image onto paper. It presents a single figure rendered with precise line work, characteristic of the period’s printmaking practice.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a solitary woman, her hair styled in tight curls that are gathered back, and a modest ruffled collar framing her neck. Her expression is sober and contemplative, suggesting a portrait rather than an allegorical scene. The absence of symbolic attributes leaves the sitter’s identity ambiguous, inviting viewers to focus on the formal qualities of her likeness.
Technique & Style
The image relies on cross‑hatching—densely interlaced strokes—to model volume and suggest the texture of fabric and hair.
Ciamberlano employed traditional engraving methods, carving fine lines into a copper plate with a burin. The image relies on cross‑hatching—densely interlaced strokes—to model volume and suggest the texture of fabric and hair. Sharp, controlled lines delineate the folds of the garment, while lighter areas are achieved through spaced hatching, creating a nuanced tonal range within the monochrome medium.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1615, the print was likely part of a larger drawing book intended for study or circulation among artists and collectors. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work has survived in several museum and library collections, indicating its continued relevance as an example of early Baroque printmaking and Ciamberlano’s oeuvre.
Context
During the early 1600s, Italian engravers increasingly produced portrait prints for both private patrons and the burgeoning market for reproducible images. Ciamberlano, active in Rome, contributed to this trend, blending the precision of line engraving with a growing interest in realistic representation, reflecting broader shifts toward naturalism in visual culture.
Artist & collection
