Illustration to Jean Desmarets' "L'Ariane"
published 1639
Medium
etching and engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1981.48.16
Art Historical Context
Step into the intricate world of 17th French Baroque art with *Illustration to Jean Desmare' "L'Ariane"*, a captivating print published in 1639. Created by master printmaker Abraham Bosse after a design by painter Claude Vignon, this work brings to life scenes from Desmarets de Saint-Slin's literary adaptation of the ancient myth of Ariadne. During Louis XIII's reign, such illustrations bridged classical mythology with contemporary French drama, making high culture accessible through affordable prints. Bosse's expertise shines in the medium of etching and engraving, techniques he championed t...