Plate 3: Boy with a hat touching the face of a girl; from 'Icones ad vivum expressae' after Giovanni Battista Piazzetta

Art Historical Context

In the intimate etching *Plate 3: Boy a Hat Touching the Face of a*, from the series *Icones vivum expressae*Icons Expressed from Life"), Giovanniini masterfully reproduces a drawing by Venetian Rococo artist Giovanni Battista Piazzetta Created in 1743, this captures a tender, spontaneous moment between two children—a boy in a hat gently caressing a girl's face—evoking the playful innocence of youth amid the elegance of 18th-century. Piazzetta, renowned for his sensitive portrayals of heads and figures, drew from live models, infusing his works with lifelike warmth and emotional depth that defined the Rococo movement's shift toward naturalism and charm. As an etching, a precise intaglio technique using acid to bite lines into a metal plate, the work showcases Cattini's skill in translating Piazzetta's fluid chalk studies into intricate, tonal prints. Measuring nearly 18 by 13 inches on the plate, it allowed for detailed shading that brings the children's expressive faces and soft textures to life. Part of a celebrated series documenting Piazzetta's observational genius, this piece highlights the era's fascination with childhood as a symbol of unspoiled beauty. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, the print invites visitors to appreciate how such reproductive prints democratized access to masterful drawings, preserving Piazzetta's legacy for generations.

About the Artist

Giovanni Cattini|Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (Italian|Italian) · 1715 |1682 –1800 |1754

Italian, Venice ca. 1715–ca. 1800 Venice|Italian, Venice 1682–1754 Venice