Artwork
Armand de Bourbon-Conti
Armand de Bourbon-Conti is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean Morin. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:across bottom in pen and brown ink: Armand de Bourbon Contyne en 1629 mort en 1629. grave en abbe, Son [...] par [...]; upper right verso in graphite: This is only / impr ession known / with early WMs 0 and 2; cRv//in graphite: J.C. / only imp known / with WM 0/2 / H&P 10
About this work
Overview
Created in 1625, this print presents a portrait of Armand de Bourbon-Conti, a member of the French Bourbon-Conti line. Executed on laid paper, the image is rendered in monochrome and framed by an oval border with ornamental detailing. The sitter is shown with curly hair, a moustache, a lace collar, and a cross pendant over a dark coat, conveying the attire of a 17th‑century nobleman.
Subject & Meaning
The work serves as a visual record of a high‑ranking aristocrat from the Bourbon-Conti branch, reflecting the social status and personal identity of its subject. The inclusion of a cross necklace underscores the importance of religious affiliation, while the elaborate lace and fine clothing signal wealth and courtly fashion of the period.
Technique & Style
Jean Morin combined three printmaking methods, etching, engraving, and stipple, on a single plate. Fine lines from engraving define structural elements, while acid‑etched areas provide broader tonal washes. Minute stippled dots create subtle gradations in skin and fabric, giving the portrait a soft, almost painterly quality despite its black‑and‑white medium.
History & Provenance
Morin, an early‑Baroque French printmaker, was known for integrating etching and engraving, a practice that spread among his contemporaries. The portrait, produced in the mid‑1620s, likely circulated among the French court and collectors, though specific ownership records before the modern era are scarce.
Context
The print emerges from a period when French nobility commissioned portraiture to assert lineage and prestige. Morin’s hybrid technique reflects a broader experimental trend in printmaking, where artists sought greater expressive range beyond the limits of traditional engraving, aligning with the evolving visual culture of the Baroque age.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Morin (c.1595 or 1605 – 1650) was a French baroque painter, printmaker, painter, etcher, engraver and publisher.
