François-Michel Le Tellier, marquis de Louvois
17th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 20 1/16 x 16 13/16 in. (51 x 42.7 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Lev Tsitrin, 2000
Accession Number
2000.416.64
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking 17th-century engraving François-Michel Le Tellier marquis de Louvois a powerful French statesman and Secretary of State for War under Louis XIV Created by the acclaimed engraver Robert Nanteuil, possibly in collaboration with Antoine Masson, it exemplifies the era's masterful printmaking techniques. Measuring an impressive 20 116 x 16 13/16 inches, the large-format sheet allowed for intricate details in Louvois's dignified pose, lace cravat, and armor-like attire, capturing the grandeur of the Sun King's court. Engraving was a revolutionary medium in the Baroque period, enabling...