Head of the young Christ
Medium
Mezzotint
Dimensions
Plate: 16 1/4 × 12 3/8 in. (41.3 × 31.5 cm) Sheet: 17 1/4 × 13 5/16 in. (43.8 × 33.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.4207
Tags
Art Historical Context
This mezzotint print, titled *Head of the Young Christ*, captures a tender, introspective portrait of the youthful Savior in a moment of quiet contemplation. Created in 1802 by Karl Jautz after an original composition by the 17th-century Italian Baroque painter Carlo Dolci, the work reflects the enduring appeal of Dolci’s devotional imagery. Dolci was renowned for his meticulous, luminous style and deeply spiritual religious subjects, which continued to inspire printmakers well into the 19th century. Mezzotint, the medium employed here, was especially valued for its ability to produce rich ve...