Buste van een jonge vrouw met parelketting

About this artwork

blad: hoogte 306 mm x breedte 209 mm

Art Historical Context

This etching by Louis Marin Bonnet, titled *Buste van een jonge vrouw met parelketting* (Bust of a Young Woman with Pearl Necklace), dates from 1774 to 1793. Measuring 306 by 209 millimeters, the print depicts a young woman in a bust-length portrait, her neck gracefully adorned with a strand of pearls. The work exemplifies the intimate scale often favored in 18th-century prints, drawing viewers close to appreciate the subject's refined features. Etching was a favored medium during this period for its capacity to render fine lines and subtle tonal variations, allowing artists to achieve painterly effects through the controlled use of acid on metal plates. Such prints played an important role in disseminating images of beauty and elegance across Europe, making refined portraiture accessible the confines of painting. Though details of the sitter remain unknown, the pearl necklace hints at themes of status and adornment common in the era. Bonnet’s technique invites quiet contemplation of both the subject’s poise and the meticulous craft behind the image.

About the Artist

Louis Marin Bonnet · 1736–1793

Comment on works: Copper engraver