Lady Montegle 1 - 1796

Francesco Bartolozzi made this stipple engraving of Lady Montegle in the late eighteenth century in England. Bartolozzi was among a wave of continental artists who found success in London, and in 1768 he was elected as a founding member of the Royal Academy. This print was based on an original drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger, the famous Northern Renaissance artist who served as court painter to Henry VIII. As such, this print participates in a broader 18th-century vogue for earlier art, particularly portraiture. These images of nobility spoke to a sense of national identity and illustrious history and provided templates for dress and comportment. The prints themselves were widely distributed and enjoyed by a broad audience, thus widening the influence of the aristocracy. Historians interested in Bartolozzi’s prints can consult collections and archives that hold impressions of his work, in order to learn more about the social function of art and the politics of imagery in 18th-century Britain.