1659
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Chancellor Michel Le Tellier is a 1659 ink by Robert Nanteuil, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man in a dark, ruffled collar. His curly hair is neatly styled, and he wears a serious but calm expression. The frame around him is decorated with swirling leaves, crowns, and the letters "M.L.T."—maybe his initials. The bottom of the image shows a coat of arms with a crown and stars, likely a symbol of his rank or family. The lines are all drawn by hand, creating shadows and texture without color. This is an example of engraving, a technique where artists etch designs into metal plates.
Robert Nanteuil (French pronunciation: ; 1623 – 9 December 1678) was a French portrait artist: engraver, draughtsman and pastellist to the court of Louis XIV.
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