1778
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A Captain of Banditti is a 1778 ink by John Hamilton Mortimer, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows two men in a tense scene. One stands tall in fancy armor, holding a sword and a scroll. The other kneels on the ground, reaching up with one hand while clutching a small object. The background has a rocky cliff and a ship at sea, with a few trees and clouds in the sky. The title says this is about a "Captain of Banditti," which likely means a leader of outlaws or rebels. The kneeling man’s posture suggests he’s begging or surrendering, while the standing man looks powerful and in control. This print uses etching, a technique where the artist scratches into metal plates to create lines. Want to see how it works?
John Hamilton Mortimer (17 September 1740 – 4 February 1779) was a British figure and landscape painter and printmaker, known for romantic paintings set in Italy, works depicting conversations, and works drawn in the…
See the richer artist page
![Mucius Scaevola [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/0de678fa443f7962/thumb.webp)
