Woman from the Kingdom of Naples - Bartolomeo Pinelli

A classic etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli depicting a woman and child in traditional Neapolitan dress, rendered with precise lines and historical detail.

This etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli captures a domestic scene from the early nineteenth century. Pinelli, a Roman artist known for his documentation of Italian regional costumes and folk life, produced numerous series of prints that catalogued the diverse dress of the Italian peninsula. In this composition, a woman from the Kingdom of Naples is depicted seated upon a rock, holding a young child. She extends her right arm to offer a piece of fruit to the infant, creating a gentle interaction between the two figures.

The artist employs a clean, linear style characteristic of his graphic work. The etching relies on precise contours and controlled cross-hatching to define the folds of the woman's traditional garments, the texture of the rocky ground, and the subtle shading of the figures. The background remains minimal, suggesting a rural setting without distracting from the primary subjects. The inclusion of the title, 'Donna del Regno di Napoli', at the base of the print, along with the artist's signature and the plate number, aligns with the conventions of his published collections of ethnographic studies.

Pinelli's work provides a window into the social and cultural observations of the period. His approach to the human figure reflects his academic training, yet his subject matter remains grounded in the everyday reality of the people he encountered. The print demonstrates his ability to combine classical proportions with a documentary interest in regional identity. This piece is an example of the printmaking traditions that circulated throughout Europe during the nineteenth century, appealing to travellers and collectors interested in the customs of Italy. The clarity of the line work and the balanced composition make this a representative example of Pinelli's contribution to the visual record of Italian folk history.