Portret van Pierre Jeannin

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

Welcome to our virtual gallery, where we spotlight *Portret van Pierre Jeannin*, a delicate engraving by the skilled French artist Jacques Nicolas Tardieu, between 1755 and1765. Measuring just155mm high by mm wide, this intimate captures the likeness of Pierre Jeannin a prominent 17th-century French statesman and magistrate who served as Chancellor under Louis XIV. Tardieu renowned for his precise reproductive engravings, likely drew from an earlier painted portrait, preserving Jeannin's dignified features for posterity during the elegant Rococo era. Engraving, the medium here, was a cornerstone of 18th-century printmaking, using a burin to incise fine lines into a metal plate for inked impressions. This technique allowed widespread dissemination of elite portraits, bridging courtly history with public appreciation and making art accessible beyond oil paintings. Tardieu's mastery shines in the subtle textures and shading that convey depth in such a compact format. Bearing the collector's mark Lugt 2228—linked to esteemed 19th-century collector Eugène Dutuit—this piece boasts rich provenance, underscoring its value in museum collections. It invites us to reflect on how engravings like this wove personal legacies into the fabric of European cultural heritage.