Frédéric-Maurice de la Tour d'Auvergne, Duc de Bouillon
1656
Medium
Engraving on paper
Dimensions
Sheet, trimmed within platemark: 38.5 × 28.7 cm (15 3/16 × 11 5/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
53527
Art Historical Context
In the Prints and Drawings department of the Art Institute of Chicago resides a striking 17th-century engraving by Robert Nanteuil, titled *Frédéric-Maur de la Tour d'Agne, Duc de Bou* (1656). Nanteuil, one of France's premier portraitavers during the reign of Louis XIV, captures the nobleman with remarkable precision and dignity. The sheet measures 38.5 × 28.7 cm, trimmed close to the platemark, showcasing the intimate scale typical of such works meant for elite collectors. Engraving on paper, this piece exemplifies Nanteuil's mastery of the intaglio technique, where intricate lines are inci...
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...