Mr. de Voltaire

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a wig. He’s holding a feather quill in one hand and a piece of paper in the other, as if he’s writing. His face looks thoughtful, and he’s dressed in a loose robe with a high collar. The background shows a desk with a few books and a candle, suggesting he’s in a study or writing room. The name at the bottom reads *Mr. de Voltaire*, and the year is 1765. This isn’t a painting—it’s an etching, which means the artist carved the image into metal and then printed it. Next, check out etching to see how this technique works.