Frontispiece for Engravers of the 19th Century
Medium
Etching on cream laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 18.6 × 12.8 cm (7 3/8 × 5 1/16 in.); Sheet: 25 × 16.1 cm (9 7/8 × 6 3/8 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
42828
Art Historical Context
Félix Henri Bracquemond *Frontispiece for Engr of the 19th* (1886) is a masterful etching that serves as the decorative title page for a honoring the era's skilled printmakers. Created on cream laid paper, this intimate work measures just 18.6 × 12.8 cm on the, inviting close contemplation of its fine lines and textures. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's and Drawings department, it exemplifies Bracquemond prowess as a leading French etcher of the 19th century, known for revitalizing the medium amid the rise of Impressionism. As a frontispiece, the piece pays tribute to the engravers wh...
About the Artist
Félix Henri Bracquemond · 1833–1914
Félix Henri Bracquemond was born in Paris in 1833 and came of age during one of the most transformative periods in French art history. He trained primarily as an engraver and etcher, studying under Joseph Guichard before finding his true calling in printmaking. His technical mastery of etching quickly distinguished him among his contemporaries, and he formed lasting friendships with Édouard Manet,...