Artwork
October
October is an ink print by the Baroque artist Ludovico Mattioli. It dates from 1601 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
October, an etching on laid paper executed in 1601 by the Italian printmaker Ludovico Mattioli, presents a muted landscape of late autumn. The composition is rendered in a restrained palette of grays, emphasizing a tranquil countryside scene under a broad, unobstructed sky.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a solitary figure strolling along a narrow dirt track beside a simple wooden fence, framed by a handful of leaf‑stripped trees. The sparse vegetation and the figure’s slow pace evoke the quiet stillness and cooling atmosphere typical of October in a rural setting.
Technique & Style
Mattioli employed the drypoint method, incising lines directly into a metal plate with a sharp needle. This technique yields a characteristic velvety texture, as the burr created by the needle produces soft, slightly fuzzy edges, especially evident in the shadowed areas and the atmospheric sky.
History & Provenance
Created in the early seventeenth century, the print forms part of Mattioli’s modest output of landscape etchings. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in several European print collections, reflecting its circulation among connoisseurs of early Baroque graphic art.
Artist & collection
