Francesco Curti

Francesco Curti was an artist active during the mid-seventeenth century, with documented production spanning 1615 to 1651. Known primarily for his detailed engravings and specialized prints, Curti’s works are represented in major international institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The known output of Francesco Curti prints reveals a specialization in devotional imagery, classical mythology, and complex allegorical frontispieces for scholarly publications.

Curti often focused on the intersection of science, philosophy, and classical themes. This is evident in the elaborate Frontispiece: mythological figures weigh astronomical theories, from "The New Almagest" (Almagestum Novum), as well as the illustration Garden of Mathematical Sciences. He also produced works based on established artistic models, such as the print Cupid asleep, resting his right arm on his quiver and his left arm on his bow, which is noted as being after Reni. Other documented subjects include religious works, such as the depiction of Saint Anthony of Padua holding a lily and a scroll, with an infant at lower left.

Five of Curti’s prints are represented in museum collections, confirming his role in seventeenth-century printmaking and book illustration. Given their historical status and tenure in public institutions, these works are frequently available in the public domain. Museums often provide access to these images as high-quality prints or downloadable artwork for scholarly research and exhibition reference.