Jean-Louis Guez de Balzac

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a mustache. He’s wearing a loose robe that drapes over his shoulders. The lines are sharp, with lots of tiny cross-hatched marks to show shadows and texture. The text below the image is in French, praising the man’s skill with words. The paper looks old and slightly yellowed, like it’s been around for a long time. If you like this style, check out engraving to see how artists used lines to create depth.