Dorothée Louise Viedebandt (The Artist's Wife)

About this work

This black-and-white print shows a woman with a calm face, dressed in fancy 18th-century clothes. Her hair is pulled back under a decorative cap, and she wears a high-necked dress with ruffles at the wrists. One hand rests on an open book in her lap, while the other holds a fan. The artist signed the name *Dorothée Louise Viedebandt* at the bottom, but this is actually a portrait of his wife. The tiny lines and shading create a soft, detailed look—this isn’t paint, but a print made by etching. Want to see how this technique works? Look up etching.