Jean Loret
1656
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed within plate mark): 20.3 x 14.4 cm (8 x 5 11/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of John O'Brien
Accession Number
1991.164.83
Art Historical Context
Behold *Jean Loret* (1656), a delicate engraving by the French artist Michel Lasne, capturing the likeness of the poet Jean Loret on laid paper. Measuring just 20.3 x 14.4 cm, this intimate portrait exemplifies the precision of 17th-century printmaking, where Lasne incised fine lines into a copper plate to create rich tonal contrasts and lifelike details upon printing. The laid paper, with its subtle chain lines visible under light, was a hallmark of the era's high-quality handmade stock, prized for its texture and durability. Created during the early years of Louis XIV's reign, amid France's...
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...