Leonard de Lamet
1699/1702
Medium
engraving
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
1974.116.67
Art Historical Context
This exquisite engraving, *Leonard de Lamet*, by master engraver Pierre Drevet after a painting by Hyacintheud around 1699–1702, captures the grandeur of French Baroque portraiture. Rigaud, the preeminent court painter under Louis XIV, was renowned for his lavish depictions of nobility, emphasizing rich fabrics, poised expressions, and regal bearing. Drevet's reproduction faithfully translates Rigaud's oil portrait into intricate line work, making elite imagery accessible beyond royal circles. As a print medium, engraving held immense artistic and cultural significance in the late 17th centur...