A detailed seventeenth-century etching by Wenceslaus Hollar, depicting two figures in a grotesque style after a design attributed to Leonardo da Vinci.

This etching by Wenceslaus Hollar, titled Rex et Regina de Tunis, presents a curious study in caricature and historical interpretation. Hollar, a prolific Bohemian etcher who spent much of his career in England, produced this work after a drawing he attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. The print depicts two figures in profile and three-quarter view, characterised by exaggerated facial features and grotesque expressions that were popular in the tradition of physiognomic studies during the seventeenth century. The male figure, positioned on the left, wears a simple cap and heavy robes, his gesture suggesting an active conversation or debate. Opposite him, the female figure is adorned in an elaborate headdress and low-cut bodice, her expression fixed and solemn. The inscription at the top centre explicitly credits Leonardo da Vinci as the source of the original design, while Hollar notes his own role as the etcher. This practice of reproducing works by earlier masters was common for Hollar, who sought to document and disseminate European art through his precise, linear technique. The etching demonstrates Hollar's mastery of the copper plate. He employs fine, controlled lines to define the textures of the clothing and the weathered skin of the subjects. The composition is stark, focusing entirely on the interaction between the two figures against a plain background. This work reflects the seventeenth-century fascination with the grotesque, a genre that explored the boundaries of human appearance through distortion and satire. By translating these drawings into print, Hollar ensured that such studies remained accessible to collectors and artists across Europe. The print remains a fascinating example of how artistic attributions and visual tropes travelled through the medium of etching during the early modern period.