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 engraving executed by Luca Ciamberlano around 1615. The work is a small-scale print that captures a single figure in a pose reminiscent of a portrait, rendered with precise line work characteristic of early‑17th‑century Italian printmaking.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a gentleman wearing an elaborate hat and a richly detailed coat. His hair is styled in tight curls that frame his face, giving the figure a dignified, almost theatrical presence. The composition suggests a study of fashion and status rather than a narrative scene.
Technique & Style
Ciamberlano employed traditional engraving methods, incising fine lines into a copper plate. Ink was applied to the recessed grooves, and the plate was pressed onto paper, transferring the design. Cross‑hatching creates subtle tonal variations, while the crisp, clean edges emphasize the texture of the clothing and the contours of the sitter’s features.
History & Provenance
The print was produced as part of a drawing book, a common practice for disseminating designs among artists and collectors in the early Baroque period. Its exact ownership trail is unclear, but it remains a representative example of Ciamberlano’s work and of the broader Italian engraving tradition of the 1610s.
Artist & collection
