J'ai tort, mon cher Valère, et t'en demande excuse

Art Historical Context

This etching and engraving, titled *J'ai tort, mon cher Valère, et t'en demande excuse*, was created in 1782 by Jean Jacques Le Veau after a design by Jean-Michel Moreau. The French title translates to “I am wrong, my dear Valère, and I ask your forgiveness,” suggesting a scene of apology or reconciliation drawn from 18th-century literature or theater. Produced during the final years of the Ancien Régime, the print reflects the period’s lively culture of book illustration and the growing popularity of reproductive prints that brought refined imagery into private homes. Le Veau’s skilled use of etching and engraving allowed for delicate lines and tonal shading that captured Moreau’s elegant, narrative style. collaborative works were common in Enlightenment-era France, where painters and printmakers worked together to disseminate scenes of contemporary manners and moral tales. Housed in the National Gallery of Art’s Widener Collection, the print exemplifies how these techniques helped spread artistic ideas across social classes while preserving the refined sensibility of late-18th-century French art.