Artwork
Louis XV
Louis XV is a chalk print by the Baroque artist Gilles Demarteau the Elder. It dates from 1749 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:across lower edge in plate: D'après Clermont Professeur de l'Acad. de Rheims; A Paris chés Cemartequ Graveur du Roi rue de la Pelterie à la Cloche; No. 392; by later hand, lower left verso in red chalk: 4020 / 281; by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: 100526
About this work
Overview
Demarteau the Elder's 1749 print, Louis XV, presents a close-up portrait of the French monarch's face and shoulder, executed in red and black chalk manner on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is Louis XV, portrayed with characteristic 18th-century aristocratic hairstyle featuring large, curled waves pulled back from the forehead, conveying an air of formal dignity.
Technique & Style
The print combines soft shading for the skin with bold lines for the hair, accented by red highlights. This technique, typical of 18th-century portraiture for nobility, produces a warm, slightly textured appearance.
History & Provenance
Created in 1749 by Gilles Demarteau the Elder, specific provenance details are not provided in the available information.
Context
This work reflects the portraiture conventions of its time, akin to the more subdued end of the Baroque spectrum, though it lacks the dramatic flair often associated with the style.
Legacy
The print's legacy is not elaborated upon in the provided sources, focusing instead on its representative qualities of 18th-century portrait practices.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
