Sphiron
Medium
Engraving (figure by Rousselet) and etching (background by Bosse)
Dimensions
sheet: 13 7/8 x 8 3/8 in. (35.3 x 21.2 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.601.117
Tags
Art Historical Context
Behold *Sphiron* (ca. 1639–40), a captivating collaborative print from the golden age of French engraving, now housed in the Metropolitan of Art's Drawings and Prints department. This unites the talents of several 17th-century masters: Gilles Rousselet engraved the central male figure adorned with wreaths, while Bosse etched the intricate. Pierre Mariette and Claude V likely contributed as publishers or designers, highlighting the era's vibrant printmaking workshops where artists pooled expertise for stunning results. Measuring 13 7/8 x 8 3/8 inches, the sheet showcases the technical prowess ...
About the Artist
Abraham Bosse|Pierre Mariette|Gilles Rousselet|Claude Vignon · 1602–1676
Abraham Bosse (1604–1676) was a French printmaker and theorist whose approximately 1,600 etchings provide an unparalleled visual record of 17th-century French life. Born to Huguenot parents in Tours, he trained in Paris under Melchior Tavernier and became a devoted follower of Jacques Callot's technical innovations. Bosse's meticulous etchings depicted subjects ranging from daily life and fashion ...