Edelman met degen en baret

About this artwork

plaatrand: hoogte 190 mm x breedte 150 mm

Art Historical Context

"Edelman met degen baret" (Gentleman with Sword and Ber) is a delicate etching by Michel Barthélé Ollivier, a French active from around 1722 to 1784. Measuring a modest 190 mm high by 150 mm wide, this intimate print captures an elegant nobleman adorned with a sword—a symbol of status and chivalry—and a beret evoking the refined fashion of 18th-century. Ollivier, known for his Rococo sensibilities, excelled in such small-scale works that brought aristocratic poise to life through precise line work. Created during the Rococo era, a time of ornate playfulness in French art amid the opulent courts of Louis XV, this etching reflects the period's fascination with personal elegance and social hierarchy. Etching, Ollivier's favored medium, involved incising lines into a metal plate with acid, allowing for intricate details and subtle tonal effects that mimic drawing. This technique made high art accessible, as prints could be reproduced and shared widely among collectors. Though compact, the piece invites close viewing, highlighting Ollivier's skill in conveying texture—from the beret's soft folds to the sword's gleam. It offers a window into Enlightenment-era gentility, reminding us how everyday objects like attire told stories of identity and prestige.