1651
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Henri II, Duc de Nemours is a 1651 ink by Robert Nanteuil, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a serious face. He’s wearing a high collar and a lacy cuff, and his head is framed by a circular border. Below him, there’s a small shield with a coat of arms and a crown on top. The artist used tiny parallel lines to create shadows and texture—this is called cross-hatching. It makes the image look detailed even though it’s just ink on paper. Look up engraving to see how artists like this made prints by carving 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.
See the richer artist page
