Johann Elias Haid’s mezzotint, “Portrait of Printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi”, c.1773, after Sir Joshua Reynolds

Johann Elias Haid (1736–1809)

“Portrait of Printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi” (aka “Francis Bartolozzi Esqr.”), c.1773, mezzotint after the portrait of the famous printmaker and founder member of Royal Academy of Arts, Francesco Bartolozzi (1728–1815), by the first President of the Royal Academy in 1768, Sir Joshua Reynolds (aka Joshua Reynolds) (1723–1792), published in London by James Birchall (fl.1781–1794).

Note that there are other reproductive print variations of Reynold’s portrait of Bartolozzi (https://www.nationaltrustcollections.org.uk/object/872094). Five years after Haid’s circular mezzotint was executed, Thomas Watson (1743–1781) published a rectangular mezzotint portrait of Bartolozzi dated 1778 after Reynolds (see https://www.artnet.com/artists/thomas-watson/portrait-of-francesco-bartolozzi-after-sir-joshu-aa-RsuuCPyKax1tSbSQjyAo6g2) and fifteen years after Haid’s mezzotint, Robert Samuel Marcuard (1751–1792)—a pupil of Bartolozzi—etched an oval variation of Reynold’s portrait (1788) showing Bartolozzi holding an etching needle in his right hand; see http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.623579.

Mezzotint with etching on heavy laid paper.

Size: (sheet) 28.1 x 20.2 cm; (plate) 21.7 x 14.3 cm; (image borderline diameter) 13 cm.

Lettered in plate below the image borderline: (left) “S^r Joshua Reynolds Pinx^t.”; (centre) “FRANCIS BARTOLOZZI ESQ^r.”; (right) “J. E. Haid fecit.”

Mortzfeld A 959 (Peter Mortzfeld & Herzog August 1996, “Die Porträtsammlung der Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel”, Munich, K.G. Saur, p. 124, cat. no. A 959); Drugulin 1025; Singer 5234.

See also the description of this print offered by the British Museum:  https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1875-0710-3844.

Condition: a strong impression showing no sign of wear to the printing plate with wide margins around the platemark in a near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains or foxing.

I am selling this rare mezzotint—note that the Rijksmuseum does not hold a copy in their large collection of prints by Johann Elias Haid—showing an historically important portrait after Joshua Reynolds of the famous printmaker, Francesco Bartolozzi , who popularised the "crayon manner" of stipple engraving, for the total cost of AU$259 (currently US$173.12/EUR156.64/GBP137.88 at the time of posting this listing) including postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this skilfully executed and very beautiful mezzotint, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.