Vincenzio Vangelisti

About the Engraving

This fine engraving from circa 1780 depicts Louis François Orleans de la Motte, executed by the accomplished Italian engraver Vincenzio Vangelisti. The portrait presents the sitter in formal 18th-century attire, rendered with the precise linear technique and careful attention to detail characteristic of neoclassical portrait engraving. The work exemplifies the tradition of commemorative portrait prints that circulated widely in 18th-century Europe, serving both as personal mementos and as public records of notable individuals.

The engraving demonstrates Vangelisti's mastery of the burin technique, with carefully modulated lines creating subtle gradations of tone and texture. The composition follows the conventions of formal 18th-century portraiture, presenting the sitter with dignity and refinement while capturing individual physiognomy with careful observation.

About the Subject

Louis François Orleans de la Motte was a notable figure of the 18th century whose portrait was deemed worthy of reproduction through the prestigious medium of engraving. The commissioning of such a portrait engraving by an accomplished artist like Vangelisti indicates the subject's social standing and the desire to preserve and circulate his likeness among contemporaries and posterity.

About the Artist

Vincenzio Vangelisti (1740-1798) was an Italian engraver active during the latter half of the 18th century, a period when Italian printmaking maintained its international prestige and technical excellence. Born in 1740, Vangelisti worked primarily in portrait engraving, creating prints after paintings by contemporary and earlier masters, as well as original portrait compositions.

Working during the neoclassical period, Vangelisti's engravings are characterized by their precise linear technique, careful attention to detail, and adherence to the formal conventions of 18th-century portraiture. His works contributed to the widespread circulation of images of notable political, military, religious, and cultural figures throughout Europe.

Vangelisti's engravings represent the high technical standards of Italian printmaking during the 18th century, when engravers were valued for their ability to translate painted portraits into the linear medium of engraving while maintaining both likeness and artistic quality.

Vincenzio Vangelisti died in 1798, leaving behind a body of work that documents the faces and fashions of 18th-century European society.

Technical Details

Engraver: Vincenzio Vangelisti (1740-1798)
Subject: Louis François Orleans de la Motte
Date: c.1780
Medium: Engraving on paper
Condition: Good condition
Dimensions: 26.5 x 18.4 cm / 10 ½ x 7 ¼ in (sheet); 24.5 x 16 cm / 9 ¾ x 6 ¼ in (image)
Frame: 37.5 x 29 cm / 14 ¾ x 11 ½ in — Black wood, acid-free matting and glass
Origin: Italy
Provenance: Documented

A fine example of 18th-century Italian portrait engraving from an accomplished master.