Artwork
Bauco near Rome (Bauco presso Roma)

Bauco near Rome (Bauco presso Roma) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Giovanni Fattori. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Giovanni Fattori’s print titled *Bauco near Rome* (Italian: *Bauco presso Roma*) is an early‑20th‑century etching, executed around 1904 on wove paper. The work presents a monochrome view of a modest settlement tucked into a valley, rendered in the characteristic grainy texture of the medium.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a small village framed by a winding road, modest dwellings, and a solitary church tower that rises above the surrounding structures. Trees and scrub occupy the foreground, suggesting a quiet, rural landscape that emphasizes the simplicity of everyday life in the Roman countryside.
Technique & Style
Fattori employed traditional copper‑plate etching, incising lines that were then inked and pressed onto paper. The resulting image is marked by sharp, intersecting scratches and a coarse surface quality, giving the scene a tactile, almost sketch‑like appearance that highlights the artist’s control of line and tone.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1904, the print belongs to the later period of Fattori’s career, when he turned increasingly toward landscape subjects. It survives as a proof, indicating it was likely produced as a test or limited edition before any larger distribution.
Context
Fattori, a leading figure of the Macchiaioli movement, applied the movement’s emphasis on light and tonal contrast to printmaking in this work. The depiction of a Roman‑proximate village aligns with his broader interest in portraying the Italian countryside beyond his native Tuscany.
Artist & collection












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