Artwork

Cavalcature che conducono le bestie bovine in Roma, per macellare (Cattle Driven to the Slaughter in Rome) (Plate 16)

Cavalcature che conducono le bestie bovine in Roma, per macellare (Cattle Driven to the Slaughter in Rome) (Plate 16) is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Bartolomeo Pinelli. It dates from 1809 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Bartolomeo Pinelli’s 1809 etching, titled *Cattle Driven to the Slaughter in Rome* (Plate 16), presents a bustling rural tableau rendered on laid paper. The composition captures a moment of organized chaos as riders on horseback guide a herd of cattle across a gently undulating landscape, with a fallen bull foregrounding the scene.

Subject & Meaning

The work illustrates the practical side of Roman agrarian life, focusing on the process of moving livestock to market or slaughter. Two mounted figures, equipped with long staffs, direct the animals, while a massive bull lies inert, suggesting the inevitable conclusion of the drive. The surrounding hills and distant architecture situate the activity within the broader Roman countryside.

Technique & Style

Pinelli employs fine, intersecting lines and varied hatching to convey texture and volume, creating a sense of movement and depth. The contrast between the crisp outlines of the riders and the softer tonal gradations of the background hills demonstrates his command of the etching medium. The laid paper surface adds a subtle tonal warmth that enhances the atmospheric quality.

History & Provenance

Created in 1809, the print forms part of Pinelli’s series documenting everyday Roman scenes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the plate has circulated among collectors of 19th‑century Italian prints and appears in several catalogues of Pinelli’s oeuvre, confirming its attribution and dating within his productive period.