Antoine Barillon

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a serious-looking man in a dark coat. His curly wig is big, and he wears a ruffled collar. Below his face is a shield with a crown and some shapes on it. The lines here are all made by scratching into metal—tiny dots and hatches pack in the shadows. This was a common way to add depth before photography. Look up engraving to see how artists built light and shadow this way.