Courtier Following Edict Against Superfluity in Dress
mid to late 17th century
Medium
Etching and engraving
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 11 3/8 × 7 3/4 in. (28.9 × 19.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.2287
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the mid-to-late 17th century, French artists Abraham Bosse and Jean I Leblond collaborated on this witty etching and engraving, *Courtier Following Edict Against Superfluity in Dress*. Bosse, renowned for his intricate reproductive prints and social satire, paired with Leblond's precise engraving skills to capture a courtier absurdly clad in a woman's dress. The trimmed sheet measures 11 3/8 × 7 3/4 inches, showcasing the fine lines and tonal depth typical of the medium, which allowed for affordable dissemination of commentary on contemporary fashions. This print pokes fun at France's stri...
About the Artist
Abraham Bosse|Jean I Leblond · 1602–1676
Abraham Bosse (1604–1676) was a French printmaker and theorist whose approximately 1,600 etchings provide an unparalleled visual record of 17th-century French life. Born to Huguenot parents in Tours, he trained in Paris under Melchior Tavernier and became a devoted follower of Jacques Callot's technical innovations. Bosse's meticulous etchings depicted subjects ranging from daily life and fashion ...