Woman from Trastevere dancing the Saltarello - Bartolomeo Pinelli

An etching by Bartolomeo Pinelli depicting a woman from Trastevere performing the traditional saltarello dance against a Roman backdrop.

Bartolomeo Pinelli was a prolific Roman artist, known for his documentation of the customs, costumes, and daily life of the Italian people during the early nineteenth century. This etching depicts a woman from the Trastevere district of Rome engaged in the saltarello, a traditional folk dance characterised by its energetic, jumping steps. The dancer is captured in a moment of motion, her skirt flared to one side as she performs the rhythmic movements typical of the region.

Pinelli employs a clear, linear style, typical of his graphic work. The composition relies on precise hatching to define the folds of the dancer's traditional costume and the textures of the surrounding environment. In the background, the inclusion of an aqueduct provides a specific Roman context, grounding the figure within the historical geography of the city. The artist's focus remains on the ethnographic detail of the subject, from the specific arrangement of her hair to the style of her footwear.

This work belongs to a broader series of prints by Pinelli that catalogue the regional dress and social activities of the Italian populace. His approach avoids romanticised idealisation, opting instead for a descriptive, observational quality. The print serves as a visual record of a specific cultural performance, preserved through the medium of etching. The clarity of the line work and the balanced composition reflect the influence of Neoclassical training, while the subject matter aligns with the period's interest in regional identity and folklore. This print offers a direct view into the social history of Rome, capturing a fleeting moment of traditional dance with technical precision.