Portret van Michel le Tellier
1677
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
437; 527
About this artwork
collector's mark: Lugt 2228
Art Historical Context
**Portrait of Michel le Tell** by Robert Nante (1677) is a masterful engraving that captures the stern visage of one of Louis XIV's key ministers. Measuring an impressive 527 × 437 mm, this large-scale print exemplifies Nanteuil's status as the preeminent French portrait engraver of the 17th century. in the Baroque era, Nante specialized in detailed engravings that blended technical precision with lifelike resemblance, often drawing directly from life sittings for the French court elite. Michel le Tellier, the subject, served as Secretary of State for War, playing a pivotal role in centralizi...
About the Artist
Robert Nanteuil · 1623–1678
Robert Nanteuil (1623-1678) was a French portrait engraver, draughtsman, and pastellist who became the preeminent portraitist to the court of Louis XIV. His technical mastery and royal patronage fundamentally transformed the status of engraving in France, elevating it from a mechanical craft to a recognized fine art. Nanteuil stands as the outstanding French portrait engraver of the seventeenth c...