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Cardinal de Polignac

François Chereau I

1729

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

Cardinal de Polignac is a 1729 ink by François Chereau I, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: François Chereau I
When & what style?: 1729 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a serious-looking man in fancy clothes. He’s sitting in a chair, holding an open book in one hand and resting the other on the armrest. His wig is big and curly, and he’s wearing a star on his chest. The background is plain, but his robe has detailed lace trim. The text at the bottom names him Cardinal de Polignac, and it’s packed with titles. This kind of print was made by cutting into metal, not painting. Look up engraving to see how artists create these sharp, detailed images.