Simon-Nicolas-Henri Linguet
Medium
engraving over etching on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to plate mark): 22 x 15 cm (8 11/16 x 5 7/8 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of John O'Brien
Accession Number
1987.70.16
Art Historical Context
This elegant engraving, titled *Simon-Nicolas-Hri Linguet*, captures likeness of the controversial French lawyer and writer (1736–1794), rendered by master engraver Augustin de Saintubin after a design by painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze. in 1780, it reflects the vibrant print culture of late 18th-century France, reproductive prints like this made prestigious portraits accessible to a wider audience beyond oil paintings. Greuze, known for his sentimental genre scenes and dramatic portraits bridging Rococo elegance and emerging Neoclassicism, likely provided the original image emphasizing Linguet'...