Artwork
A Man with a Moustache and Goatee, Facing Right
A Man with a Moustache and Goatee, Facing Right is an ink print by the Baroque artist Ottavio Leoni. It dates from 1624 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Created circa 1624, this print depicts a single male sitter rendered in black and white on laid paper.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1624, this print depicts a single male sitter rendered in black and white on laid paper. The figure is shown in three‑quarter profile, facing right, with a prominent moustache, goatee, and unruly curls. A richly detailed ruffled collar frames his face, and his expression is solemn, conveying the formal tone typical of early‑Baroque portraiture.
Subject & Meaning
The work presents an individual portrait, likely intended to record the sitter’s social status or personal identity. The emphasis on facial hair, elaborate collar, and meticulous rendering of clothing suggests a focus on the sitter’s dignity and rank, while the restrained composition reflects the period’s preference for dignified, introspective representation.
Technique & Style
Leoni combined etching with engraving, using acid‑etched lines for broader tonal areas and hand‑cut engraved strokes for fine detail. This hybrid approach allows delicate shading of the hair and intricate line work in the collar’s folds and buttons, producing a realistic texture that was characteristic of 17th‑century Roman printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print is attributed to Ottavio Leoni, an Italian painter and printmaker active in Rome during the early Baroque. Produced around 1624, it exemplifies Leoni’s portrait practice, which catered to a Roman clientele seeking durable, reproducible images of notable individuals. The work remains documented in several European print collections.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ottavio Leoni (1578 – 4 September 1630) was an Italian painter and printmaker of the early-Baroque, active mainly in Rome.
