Le Peintre Graveur, a 21-volume catalogue published between 1803 and 1821, established the classification system for old master prints that remains the standard reference in the field today. Its author, Adam Bartsch, balanced a career as an active printmaker with the formal responsibilities of managing major institutional collections in his native Vienna.
Institutional Career
Born in 1757, Bartsch received his training at the Vienna Kupferstecheracademie. His professional tenure began in 1777 upon joining the staff of the Royal Court Library in Vienna. In 1791, he advanced to the position of head curator of the print collection. Throughout this period, he served as an advisor to Duke Albert of Saxe-Teschen, the founder of the Albertina. Bartsch's efforts contributed to the development of the Albertina, which remains a primary repository for old master prints.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Documentation and Research
Bartsch operated in French and German, producing scholarship that defined print history. His primary contribution, Le Peintre Graveur, catalogued works by Dutch, Flemish, German, and Italian painter-engravers active from the 15th to the 17th century. In 1821, he also published the Kupferstichkunde, or The Art of Engraving, in German. The designation peintre-graveur, which he popularized, distinguishes original printmakers from those primarily engaged in reproductive work.
The Bartsch Numbering System
The indexing system Bartsch created, often cited as B17 for an individual work, utilizes a hierarchical classification method. The system categorizes prints by subject matter, prioritizing self-portraits followed by biblical scenes, saints, and allegories. Modern research projects, such as The Illustrated Bartsch published by Abaris Books, retain these original numbering sequences while expanding the scope to include later attributions and works unknown to Bartsch during his lifetime.
Artistic Production
Beyond his academic and curatorial pursuits, Bartsch was a practitioner of engraving, etching, and lithography. During his career, he executed over 500 plates, working both from original designs and from those created by other masters. He died in 1821 in Hietzing, an Austrian territory, leaving behind a dual legacy as both a contributor to the practice of printmaking and the architect of its formal historiography.
Fast facts
- Born: 1757, Vienna
- Died: 1821, Hietzing
- Primary Field: Art history and printmaking
- Key Publication: Le Peintre Graveur
- Institutional Role: Head curator, Royal Court Library, Vienna
- Citizenship: Austrian Empire
- Occupations: Writer, art historian, etcher, copper engraver, draftsperson, lithographer
Questions readers ask
What is the significance of the Bartsch numbering system?
It serves as the definitive reference system for old master prints, categorizing works by genre and providing a standard method for identifying and citing specific engravings and etchings.
What was The Illustrated Bartsch project?
It is an English-language project initiated in 1978 by Abaris Books to provide illustrations for the works catalogued in Bartsch's original, unillustrated Le Peintre Graveur.
Achievements
- Notable work: Bartsch's Le Peintre Graveur
