Frontispiece for "Fountains"
1768
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1768
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This print shows a fancy fountain topped with a big, ornate vase and a crown-like structure. Below it, a lion’s head spouts water into a wide basin. Trees and rocks frame the scene, with smaller statues tucked in the corners. The text on the fountain reads in Italian and Latin, but the key words are "Fontane" (fountains) and the year 1768. The artist carved this image using a sharp tool to scratch into metal—a method that lets ink fill the lines for a detailed, almost painterly look. The tiny details in the stonework and leaves show how precise this technique can be. Try looking up etching to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
