Luigi Schiavonetti facts for kids
Luigi Schiavonetti (born April 1, 1765 – died June 7, 1810) was a talented Italian artist. He was known for making copies of artworks using a special technique called engraving and etching. This meant he could create many prints from one original picture.
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Who Was Luigi Schiavonetti?
Luigi Schiavonetti was born in a beautiful part of Italy called Bassano, in the Venetia area. He was the nephew of another artist named Teodoro Viero. Luigi loved art from a young age and spent several years learning how to draw and engrave.
How Luigi Started His Art Career
When Luigi was starting out, he worked for an engraver named Testolini. Testolini wasn't very good at art himself, but he used Luigi's skills. Luigi would create copies of famous artist Bartolozzi's work, and Testolini would pretend they were his own!
In 1790, Bartolozzi invited Testolini to come to England. Luigi went with him. It was there that Bartolozzi found out Luigi was the real artist behind the amazing copies. Bartolozzi was so impressed that he hired Luigi himself!
Luigi's Rise as an Engraver
Luigi quickly became a very famous engraver in England. He was skilled in different engraving styles, including "line" and "stipple" engraving. These techniques allowed him to create detailed and beautiful prints.
Some of his first important works were four pictures about the French Revolution. He made these based on drawings by Peter Paul Benazech.
Famous Portraits and Artworks
Luigi Schiavonetti also engraved a drawing of Maria Cosway, which her artist husband, Richard Cosway, had drawn. Maria Cosway also asked Luigi to engrave a portrait of Napoleon. This was the very first time people in Britain saw a picture of Napoleon!
Luigi also created engravings of famous classical artworks. He made a "Mater Dolorosa" (a sad image of Mary) after a painting by Van Dyck. He also engraved a famous drawing by Michelangelo called the "Battle of Cascina," which showed soldiers surprised by an attack near a river.
Working with William Blake
From 1805 to 1808, Luigi worked on a special project with the famous artist William Blake. He etched Blake's designs for a book called Grave by Blair. These etchings, along with a portrait of Blake engraved by Luigi, were published in 1808.
Luigi's Last Works
One of Luigi's last big projects was etching a picture called "Canterbury Pilgrims" by Stothard. Luigi passed away before he could finish it. His brother, Niccolo, continued the work, and another engraver, James Heath, finally completed the plate.
