The Artistic Trade and Networks of the Italian Community in London Around 1800

Italian artist Benedetto Pastorini's 1778 print, depicting a bas-relief from Hadrian's Villa (Tivoli), reveals the cultural exchange and artistic networking between Italian expatriates and British society around 1800. Pastorini, who migrated to London in the 1760s through collaboration with the Adam brothers, integrated into the Italian artistic community there, working alongside Francesco Bartolozzi. His work exemplifies the commercial transfer of aesthetic values from Italy to Britain during this period. The print's caption also reflects a fascination with Roman antiquity and its perceived connection to British heritage. Pastorini's later engravings of Leonardo da Vinci drawings further highlight the enduring transnational collaboration among Italian artists in London, underscoring the significance of Hadrian's Villa as both an artistic inspiration and a symbol of shared cultural history.

Murgia, C. (2019). The Artistic Trade and Networks of the Italian Community in London Around 1800. Art Crossing Borders, 164–192. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004291997_007