Portrait of Cardinal Mazarin
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Accession Number
1957-41-74
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 17th-century France with Robert Nanteuil's *Portrait of Cardinal Mazar* (1655), a masterful print from the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection.anteuil (1623–1678), one of France's premier engr, captured the likeness of Jules Mazarin, the Italian cardinal who served as chief minister under young King Louis XIV. Created amid Mazarin's turbulent tenure—marked by the civil wars of the Fronde—this portrait immortalizes a pivotal figure whose diplomatic savvy shaped Europe's balance of power. Nanteuil's engraving technique shines here, with intricate lines re...