Battle for the Standard' after a drawing attributed to Raffaello Sanzio

This drawing is from 'The Italian school of Design' – 84 reproductions of Renaissance drawings by William Young Ottley. He intended to publish 'a chronological sequence of the designs of the most eminent artists of Italy', recording not only the rise of Italian art from Cimabue to Michelangelo, but also its decline. The work, commencing in 1808 or 1809, was originally issued in parts, but only in 1823, all the three parts were gathered and reissued as a single volume. The publication is notable not just for its critical insight, but for the excellent execution of the plates. The team of engravers employed a vast variety of specialist intaglio techniques. Ranging from aquatint to stipple engraving, soft ground etching, black chalk manner, red chalk manner, and crayon manner, these technique responded to the media and the style of each drawing.