italian hand
Preserved but no longer current.
I see his fine Italian hand in this may be said of a picture in which the beholder can discern the work of a particular artist through certain characteristics of his which appear. Or it may be remarked of an intrigue, in which the characteristics of a particular plotter are apparent.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “italian hand” mean?
I see his fine Italian hand in this may be said of a picture in which the beholder can discern the work of a particular artist through certain characteristics of his which appear. Or it may be remarked of an intrigue, in which the characteristics of a particular plotter are apparent.
Is “italian hand” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.