J.Barbey d'Aurevilly

Art Historical Context

This intimate portrait etching captures the likeness of Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly, the celebrated French writer and dandy whose sharp wit and flamboyant style defined late-nineteenth-century literary circles. Created in 1879 by Paul Adolphe Rajon, a skilled French printmaker renowned for his sensitive portraits, the work reflects the era’s fascination with literary celebrities and the refined art of etching. Rajon employed etching and drypoint, techniques that allow for delicate lines and rich tonal effects, then printed the image in red ink on fine Japan paper. The warm sanguine hue lends the small plate (just over four inches tall) a drawing-like immediacy, while the generous margins of the sheet emphasize its precious, collectible nature. Such prints were prized by connoisseurs for bridging the gap between original drawings and widely distributable images. Housed in the National Gallery of Art thanks to the generosity of Daniel and Pearl K. Bell, this work offers today’s visitors a glimpse into the vibrant cultural exchange between writers and artists in fin-de-siècle Paris.

About the Artist

Paul Adolphe Rajon · 1842–1888

Paul Adolphe Rajon (1843–1888) was a distinguished French painter and etcher renowned for his exquisite portrait prints. Born in Dijon as the youngest of three children to hairdresser Jean Marie Rajon and shop girl Caroline Jaugey, he began his artistic path early. At age 14, he apprenticed as a portrait retoucher for his brother-in-law, photographer Pierre Joseph Meurisse, in Metz. From 1859 to 1...