1850
From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum
Modesty and Vanity is a 1850 by Giovanni Volpato, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.
This print shows two women facing each other. The woman on the left wears a loose hooded cloak and looks down, her hand raised as if stopping something. The woman on the right sits with her back straight, holding a small mirror and a flower in one hand while adjusting her hair with the other. A bowl sits on the table in front of her. Notice how the lighting makes their faces stand out against the dark background. The contrast between light and shadow is sharp, making the textures of their clothes and skin pop. This technique is called *chiaroscuro*.
The print *Modesty and Vanity* by Giovanni Volpato reproduces Leonardo da Vinci’s composition on paper. It depicts two female figures in contrasting poses, illustrating themes of modesty and vanity. The work is an engraved reproduction of da Vinci’s original design.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Giovanni Volpato (1735–1803) was an Italian engraver. He was also an excavator, dealer in antiquities and manufacturer of biscuit porcelain figurines.
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