Calisto in Her Retirement
published 1778
Richard Earlom (British, 1743–1822) after Anthony Van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641)
England
Richard Earlom’s painterly handling of flesh tones amply demonstrates the charms of reproducing bathing beauties from the Dutch Baroque in mezzotint. Earlom designed this voyeuristic glimpse of the lustrous, somewhat demure nymph after an Anthony van Dyck painting. Alessandro Mastro-Valerio’s search for the ideal printmaking medium likely culminated in seeing a similar work during his inspiring visit to the Century of Progress Exposition in 1933. At least one mezzotint was on display at the Art Institute at the time: The Junction of Severn and Wye, from J. M. W. Turner’s Liber Studiorum
Mezzotint over etching in black on cream laid paper