Le matin

Art Historical Context

**Le Matin**, an exquisite etching and engraving from theener Collection at the National of Art, captures the elegance of 18th-century Frenchoco artistry. Created between 1726 and 1750 by engraver Emmanuel Jean Nepomène de Ghendt after design by painter Pierre-Antoine Baudouin this print exemplifies the collaborative spirit of the era, where skilled engravers like de Ghendt reproduced paintings to make high art accessible to a broader audience. Baudouin, a protégé of François Boucher, infused his works with the Rococo's signature grace, lightness, and decorative charm. The medium of etching and engraving allowed for intricate details and subtle tonal gradations—etching for fluid lines and soft shading, engraving for precise, crisp contours—perfectly suited to evoking the dawn-like theme of "Le Matin" (The Morning). Such prints were prized in fashionable salons, serving both as affordable decor and educational tools for connoisseurs studying the latest Parisian styles. Housed in the National Gallery's CG-E department, this piece highlights the Widener Collection's depth in European prints, offering visitors a window into the cultural vibrancy of pre-Revolutionary France, where art celebrated the fleeting beauty of everyday moments.