The Outskirts of Florence, on the Way to Rome

Art Historical Context

Visitors to the National Gallery of Art can delight in *The Outskirts of Florence, the Way to Rome*, delicate etching by Austrian artist Franz Edmund Wetter, created around 1764. This-state impression on laid paper—trimmed to its precise 14.5 x 11.4 cm plate mark—offers an intimate glimpse of Italy's sunlit countryside, evoking the transitional landscapes between historic cities during the era of the Grand Tour. irotter, a skilled 18th-century etcher and landscape specialist, captured such scenes during his travels through Italy, blending topographical accuracy with atmospheric charm. Etching, an intaglio technique where acid etches lines into a metal plate, allowed artists like him to produce detailed, reproducible views that brought distant vistas to collectors across Europe. As a proof, this early pull from the plate may reveal the artist's refinements, highlighting the meticulous craft of printmaking. Acquired through the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund and housed in the museum's prints department (CG-E), this work reflects the cultural fascination with Italy's classical heritage and natural beauty, inviting us to trace the ancient road from Florence toward Rome.

About the Artist

Franz Edmund Weirotter · 1730–1771

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