Vijf handen en vijf voeten van kinderen Possibly 1796

This is Francesco Bartolozzi’s etching, 'Five Hands and Five Feet of Children.' Notice the disembodied, almost sculptural arrangements against the stark white background. It gives the impression of floating forms rather than a study of live children. Bartolozzi masterfully employs line and shadow to capture the soft contours of infant limbs. The stark contrast between light and shadow lends depth, emphasizing their plumpness. The hands and feet are carefully arranged in various poses, drawing your eye across the composition. The study challenges traditional portraiture, focusing instead on isolated body parts. It questions the complete, unified figure, presenting a fragmented view of the human form. This challenges fixed notions of the body, reflecting broader philosophical shifts toward deconstruction and the questioning of wholeness. Bartolozzi’s fragmentation invites us to reconsider how we perceive and represent the human body.