Jean Baptiste Hautin
1639
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 17.2 × 11.7 cm (6 3/4 × 4 5/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Rosenwald Collection
Accession Number
1950.14.595
Art Historical Context
This engraving by Michel Lasne, created in 163, presents a portrait of Jean Baptiste Hautin in a compact format measuring just 17.2 by 11.7 centimeters. Lasne, a skilled French printmaker active during the reign of Louis XIII, specialized in capturing the likenesses of notable contemporaries through the precise lines of engraving. The medium allowed for fine detail and multiple impressions, making such portraits accessible beyond the elite circles that commissioned them. Engravings like this one played a vital role in 17th-century visual culture, serving as both personal mementos and tools fo...
About the Artist
Michel Lasne · 1590–1667
Michel Lasne (ca. 1590–1667) was a French engraver, draughtsman, and collector who became one of the most prolific printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Caen around 1590, Lasne was the son of a goldsmith, which provided him with early exposure to metalworking techniques essential for engraving. His career spanned the reigns of Louis XIII and the early years of Louis XIV, during which h...