A Latin phrase or abbreviation (often abbreviated 'del.' or 'd.') used on artwork to indicate 'he/she drew it,' crediting the artist who made the outline or sketch.
From the Latin 'delineавit,' the third-person singular past tense of 'delineare' (meaning 'he/she delineated'). This term became standard in art history and museum catalogs to attribute sketches and preliminary drawings.
On old prints and engravings you'll see tiny letters 'del.' or 'fec.' (meaning made/did)—these are shortcuts that told you who sketched it versus who engraved it, since artworks were team efforts!
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