Open full image Pin

Gravure en Taille-Douce: pl. IV

Antonio Baratta

1775

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century Allegory

Dominant colour

Gravure en Taille-Douce: pl. IV is a 1775 ink by Antonio Baratta, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Antonio Baratta
When & what style?: 1775 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This image shows a set of black-and-white sketches arranged on a page. There are five numbered drawings: three close-up faces with curly hair, one hand holding a cloth, and one arm reaching upward. The largest sketch shows a draped figure adjusting a wreath or headpiece on another person’s head. The text at the bottom reads *"Gravure en Taille-Douce."* The three faces look like study sketches, while the larger figure seems to be an allegory—a scene with symbolic meaning. The hand drawings focus on small details like fingers and posture. If you like how these sketches break down faces and gestures, look up engraving to see how artists create fine lines like these.