Portret van Giuseppe Antonio Davanzati before 1746

Giovanni Marco Pitteri made this portrait of Giuseppe Antonio Davanzati using etching, a printmaking technique with a rich history. The process begins with a metal plate, traditionally copper, coated with a waxy, acid-resistant ground. The artist then draws through this ground with a sharp tool, exposing the metal beneath. When the plate is immersed in acid, the exposed lines are "bitten," creating incised lines. These lines hold ink, which is then transferred to paper under high pressure, resulting in a print with a distinctive, slightly raised texture. This print, with its carefully cross-hatched lines, shows Pitteri’s mastery of the medium. The labor-intensive nature of etching, from preparing the plate to the final printing, underscores the value placed on skilled handcraftsmanship in earlier times. Understanding the material and the making process gives us insight into the historical context and artistic intentions behind Pitteri’s work, blurring the boundaries between fine art and skilled craft.