M. de Chalvel
1603
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1603
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
M. de Chalvel is a 1603 ink by Karel van Mallery, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a bearded man in a fur collar and ruffled shirt. His hands rest on his chest, and he wears a wide-brimmed hat. The background is plain, with his name—*M. de Chalvel*—curved around the oval frame in fancy lettering. The lines are made by etching, a method where the artist scratches into a metal plate. This creates sharp details in the fur and wrinkles on his face. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints before photography.
