Pierre Jeliote
Medium
engraving over etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 19.6 x 14.7 cm (7 11/16 x 5 13/16 in.) sheet: 27.3 x 20.2 cm (10 3/4 x 7 15/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of John O'Brien
Accession Number
1988.71.7
Art Historical Context
In the elegant world of 18th-century French theater, 1771 print captures the likeness of Pierre Jeliote a celebrated tenor, dancer, and actor who dazzled audiences at the Paris Opéra. Created by engraver Augustin de Saint-A after a design by the renowned Charles-Nicolas Co II—one of Louis XV's official artists—this portrait exemplifies the era's fascination with cultural luminaries. Cochin II, a master of Rococo ornamentation transitioning toward Neoclassicism, provided the fluid, expressive original composition, while Saint-Aubin faithfully reproduced it, making celebrity imagery accessible b...