Portrait of the artist
about 1895
Medium
Drypoint on heliogravure
Dimensions
Sheet: 21 5/8 × 15 3/4 in. (54.9 × 40 cm) Plate: 15 5/8 × 11 1/2 in. (39.7 × 29.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1922
Accession Number
22.63.104
Tags
Art Historical Context
Marcellin Desboutin *Portrait of the Artist*, around 1895, offers an intimate self-portrait from the celebrated French printmaker (1822–1905). Captured in drypoint on heliogravure sophisticated intaglio technique where Desboutin scratched directly into metal plate, producing the burr that yields those signature velvety, expressive lines—this work exemplifies late 19th-century innovation in printmaking. The heliogravure base, a photomechanical process, provided a stable ground for the hand-worked drypoint, blending precision with the artist's spontaneous touch. Measuring about 15⅝ × 11½ inches ...
About the Artist
Marcellin Desboutin|Marcellin Desboutin · 1823–1902
Comment on works: genre