Chancellor Michel Le Tellier
1661
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1943.3.6547
Art Historical Context
Welcome to the National Gallery of Art, where Robert Nanteuil's *Chancellor Michel Le Tellier* (1661) captivates with its masterful engraving. Nanteuil, a leading French portrait engraver of the 17th century, created this print during the height of Louis XIV's reign, the Sun King's era of absolute monarchy and cultural splendor. The subject, Michel Le Tellier, was a pivotal statesman who served as Secretary of State for War and later Chancellor of France, playing a key role in centralizing royal power and reforming the military. This engraving exemplifies Nanteuil's virtuosity with the burin,...
About the Artist
Robert Nanteuil · 1623–1678
Robert Nanteuil (1623-1678) was a French portrait engraver, draughtsman, and pastellist who became the preeminent portraitist to the court of Louis XIV. His technical mastery and royal patronage fundamentally transformed the status of engraving in France, elevating it from a mechanical craft to a recognized fine art. Nanteuil stands as the outstanding French portrait engraver of the seventeenth c...