Visiting Prisoners
Medium
Etching; first state of two
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 10 in. × 12 3/4 in. (25.4 × 32.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.2263
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Visiting Prisoners," an etching from 1635 by French artists Abraham Bosse and Jean Leblond, captures poignant moment of human connection amid hardship. This first-state impression—before any later alterations—measures about 10 by 12¾ inches and belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Elisha Whittelsey Collection. B, a pioneering etcher renowned for his detailed depictions of 17th-century French society likely designed the composition, while Leblond have contributed to its production. The scene features men and women interacting with prisoners, evoking themes of charity and compassion in a...
About the Artist
Abraham Bosse|Jean I Leblond · 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 ...