Barthelemy Tremblay

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Michel Lasne, dated 1639, presents a portrait of Barthelemy Tremblay. Created during a period when printmaking flourished in France, the work exemplifies the era’s interest in capturing notable figures through accessible reproductive media. Lasne, active as an engraver in the early seventeenth century, employed precise line work to convey both likeness and status on the modest sheet. The medium—an engraving on laid paper—highlights the technical demands of the process, where the artist incised fine lines into a copper plate to produce detailed impressions. Such prints were widely circulated, allowing images of individuals like Tremblay to reach broader audiences beyond painted originals. Trimmed to the plate mark and measuring just over 10 by 7 inches, the work’s intimate scale suits private study or collection. Now part of the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through the generosity of John O’Brien, this print preserves a moment of seventeenth-century portraiture. It offers visitors insight into how engravings served both as artistic records and cultural documents of their time.

About the Artist

Michel Lasne · 1590–1667

Michel Lasne (ca. 1590–1667) was a French engraver, draughtsman, and collector who became one of the most prolific printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Caen around 1590, Lasne was the son of a goldsmith, which provided him with early exposure to metalworking techniques essential for engraving. His career spanned the reigns of Louis XIII and the early years of Louis XIV, during which h...