Ferdinando Artaria

Ferdinando Artaria (Blevio, 1781 – Blevio, 25 June 1843) was an Italian publisher, print dealer and important figure in the development of graphic arts and lithography in early nineteenth-century Milan. He belonged to the celebrated Artaria family, which had been active for generations in the European trade and publication of prints, artworks and music. As a young man, Ferdinando spent time in Vienna, gaining commercial experience with relatives who managed the family’s established publishing business.

Around 1805, he established his own business in Milan, specialising in prints, maps and sheet music. Artaria played a particularly significant role in the early introduction of lithography to Italy. He collaborated with Giuseppe de Werz, one of the pioneers who brought the new printing process to Milan, and gradually acquired rights to employ the technique for musical and graphic publications. In 1813, he obtained official permission to establish a polyautographic printing workshop.

His publishing house became an important centre for the production and distribution of prints, city views, portraits, maps and illustrated publications. Among the works issued under the Artaria name were notable series depicting Milan and its surroundings, produced in collaboration with skilled draughtsmen, engravers and aquatint specialists.

In 1837, the company adopted the name “Ferdinando Artaria e Figlio.” Through his entrepreneurial approach, technical experimentation and collaborations with contemporary artists, Artaria contributed substantially to the circulation of printed imagery in nineteenth-century Italy. His activity occupied a distinctive position at the intersection of printmaking, lithography, publishing, cartography and visual culture.