Portrait of Youth: A Young Italian of the Middle Ages, 1847

About this sheet

The print for sale is an original antique and hand-colored print and shows a figure labeled "Jeune Italien," which translates to "Young Italian." The individual is depicted in profile, facing to the left of the image.

The young Italian is wearing red tights and a blue tunic, which is covered by a long grey cloak with a hood, perhaps indicative of the fashion of a particular region or class in Italy during the Middle Ages. The cloak is fastened at the front with a detailed yellow belt with circular designs, which adds a touch of decoration to the otherwise utilitarian outfit.

The figure's attire is relatively simple yet carries a certain elegance, suggesting that this individual may represent the common people, but with a sense of personal pride or status within that class. The red and blue colors are vivid and contrast with the grey of the cloak, which suggests the garment may serve a practical purpose, possibly for warmth or as a sign of modesty.

The colors have a nice glow over them. Historically, egg whites, known as glair, and sometimes egg yolk were indeed used in illumination and painting, particularly in manuscripts, to give colors a brighter appearance and to add a sheen or gloss to the work. This technique was quite common during the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance.

Egg whites can be applied as a varnish over pigments to enhance their brightness and to protect the colors. This application could make the colors appear more vivid and also add a slight glossy sheen to the surface of the image.

Egg yolk, on the other hand, was commonly used as a binding agent in paint. It forms the basis of tempera paint, a medium that was widely used before the advent of oil painting. Egg yolk helps to create a durable and long-lasting color that adheres well to various surfaces.

In the context of the print from 1847, it's less likely that egg whites or yolks were used directly on the print, as by that time, commercial printing processes would have been more advanced and less reliant on such manual methods. However, if this print is a representation of an earlier style or is meant to mimic the appearance of hand-painted manuscripts, the original artists might have employed techniques or materials that gave a similar effect to those achieved with egg-based binders and varnishes.