Costumi di Roma - Bartolomeo Pinelli

An etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli from his Costumi di Roma series, depicting women in traditional Roman dress with their children.

Bartolomeo Pinelli was a prolific Roman artist, known for his documentation of the local populace and their daily habits during the early nineteenth century. This etching belongs to his series titled Costumi di Roma, which captures the social fabric of the city. The composition depicts two women in traditional attire, one of whom is nursing a child while the other holds an infant. The figures are positioned beneath the boughs of a tree, with an architectural element visible to the right, providing a sense of place within the Roman environment.

Pinelli utilised a clear, linear style that reflects the influence of Neoclassical draughtsmanship. His approach to etching relies on precise contours and controlled cross-hatching to define form and shadow. The figures are rendered with a focus on the specific details of their clothing, such as the head coverings and the folds of their garments, which serve as a record of regional fashion. The scene is quiet and domestic, focusing on the maternal bond rather than grand historical narratives. By documenting these everyday moments, Pinelli provided a visual archive of Roman life that appealed to both local residents and the many travellers visiting the city during the Grand Tour period. His work remains a primary source for historians studying the social history and material culture of Rome in the early 1800s. The clarity of his line work ensures that the focus remains on the human subjects, presented with a directness that avoids unnecessary ornamentation.