Artwork
Young Woman in Profile
Young Woman in Profile is an ink print by the Baroque artist Marco Alvise Pitteri. It dates from 1744 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Marco Alvise Pitteri’s 1744 engraving titled *Young Woman in Profile* presents a solitary figure rendered on laid paper. The composition shows a youthful female sitter turned toward the left, set against an unadorned dark backdrop that isolates her form. The work exemplifies the print medium’s capacity for intimate portraiture in the mid‑18th century.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures a young woman whose attire includes a modest dress with a ruffled collar and a simple headscarf, while her hair is neatly gathered. The restrained elegance of her dress and the calm expression suggest a focus on personal virtue or genteel status rather than narrative drama, inviting viewers to contemplate the sitter’s quiet presence.
Technique & Style
Pitteri employed fine engraving lines and extensive cross‑hatching to model the figure’s features and fabric. The layered strokes generate subtle tonal variations, giving the skin and textiles a sense of volume against the flat background. This meticulous handling of line reflects the Baroque print tradition’s emphasis on realism through graphic means.
Context
Created during the late Baroque period, the engraving aligns with contemporary practices where artists used intaglio techniques to produce detailed, reproducible images. Pitteri’s work parallels that of other engravers who sought to convey depth and texture without color, contributing to the era’s broader exploration of chiaroscuro and the dissemination of portraiture beyond painted commissions.
Artist & collection
![A Woman Wearing a Straw Hat [Madame de Pompadour?], by Marco Alvise Pitteri](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/marco-alvise-pitteri--a-woman-wearing-a-straw-hat-madame-de-pompadour--a8849525097954a5-w320.webp)
