Francesco Bartolozzi began his training in Florence under the guidance of Ignazio Hugford and Giovanni Domenico Ferretti. Initially intended to follow his father's profession as a gold- and silver-smith, he shifted his focus to painting and eventually engraving, establishing a career that spanned Italy, England, and Portugal during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Early Career and Move to London
After three years of painting instruction, Bartolozzi relocated to Venice to study engraving. He spent six years collaborating with Joseph Wagner before establishing his own workshop. In 1762, he briefly moved to Rome to produce a series of engravings depicting the frescoes of Domenichino at Grottaferrata. His work drew the attention of Richard Dalton, the English Royal Librarian, who recruited him as Engraver to the King. Bartolozzi arrived in London in 1764, where he secured an annual salary of £300 from George III.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Artistic Technique and Royal Academy Membership
Bartolozzi became widely identified with the stipple or crayon method, a technique utilizing delicate dots rather than traditional lines to create imagery. He enhanced the visual distinction of these works by employing red, orange, and brown inks. Despite academy bylaws initially excluding engravers, his prestige facilitated his election as a founding member of the Royal Academy of Arts, where he was admitted under the category of Painter. He also contributed allegorical ceiling panels for the council room at Somerset House.
Prolific Output and Pedagogy
During his four decades in London, Bartolozzi produced a significant volume of work, including engravings after Annibale Carracci, Carlo Dolci, and Angelica Kauffman. He contributed plates to Boydell's Shakespeare Gallery and compiled portraits of figures such as Thomas More and Lord Mansfield based on drawings by Hans Holbein the Younger. Beyond his output, he operated a substantial workshop that trained numerous students, including Thomas Cheesman, Luigi Schiavonetti, and Peltro William Tomkins.
Final Years in Lisbon
In 1802, Bartolozzi relocated to Lisbon to serve as the director of the National Academy. He sought to reform the royal press and oversee an edition of the Portuguese epic The Lusiads. Despite his long career, financial insolvency eventually forced him to sell his personal prints and belongings. He remained in Portugal until his death in 1815 and was interred in a common grave at a local church.
Fast facts
- Born: 1728, Florence
- Died: 1815, Lisbon
- Occupations: Engraver, publisher, printmaker
- Royal Patron: George III
- Academic Affiliation: Royal Academy of Arts
- Key Technique: Stipple engraving
- Student: Luigi Schiavonetti
- Final Project: The Lusiads
Questions readers ask
Was Bartolozzi the inventor of the stipple method?
No, he was not the original inventor, but he became its leading exponent and remains the artist most closely associated with the technique.
Why was he admitted to the Royal Academy despite the rules?
Although the Academy's bylaws explicitly excluded engravers, Bartolozzi was so highly esteemed that he was admitted as an Academician under the category of Painter.
.jpg)
