Les Plaisirs paternels (Paternal Pleasures)
c. 1797
Medium
etching and wash manner, printed in orange-red, blue, yellow, and black inks
Dimensions
Overall (outer framing line): 46.6 x 36.6 cm (18 3/8 x 14 7/16 in.) plate: 51.7 x 38.3 cm (20 3/8 x 15 1/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Fund
Accession Number
1976.71.1
Art Historical Context
**Les Plaisirs paternelsPaternal Pleasures)** created by French engraver Philibert-Louis Debucourt around 1797, captures the tender joys of fatherhood in a vibrant color print. Measuring an impressive 51.7 x 38.3 cm on the plate this work exemplifies Debucourt's mastery of and wash manner—a technique blending etched lines with soft, watercolor-like tones from aquatint to mimic painting. Printed using four inks (orange-red, blue,, and black), it showcases early innovations in multi-color printing, bridging engraving's precision with the richness of oil painting. Debucourt, active during the tu...