Study of Five Heads
Medium
Etching; first state of two
Dimensions
Sheet: 7 in. × 9 1/4 in. (17.8 × 23.5 cm) Plate: 6 1/2 × 8 9/16 in. (16.5 × 21.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1917
Accession Number
17.3.1975
Tags
Art Historical Context
Jean-Jacques de Boissieu's *Study of Five Heads*1803) is a captivating etching from the artist's late career, capturing an intimate array of human and animal visages. Created as the first state of two this print showcases Boissieu's mastery of the etching technique, where acid bites into a metal plate to produce rich, nuanced lines and textures. Measuring just 7 by 9¼ inches, the sheet invites close viewing, revealing the subtle interplay of light and shadow that defines his Rembrandt-inspired style. Working in Lyon, France, during the Napoleonic era, Boissieu drew from 17th-century Dutch trad...
About the Artist
Jean Jacques de Boissieu · 1736–1810
French, Lyons 1736–1810 Lyons