Details

NANTEUIL, Robert [1623 or 1630-1678].. Portrait of French statesman Michel Le Tellier [1603-1685].

copper engraving. 334 x 254 mm. (sheet). signed in the plate. A good dark impression on laid paper with coat of arms watermark, trimmed at or just outside plate mark. (slight thin spots in left edge, mounting tape on verso). Provenance: Estate of James Kingon Callaghan. First State (of 2). Arthur Hind refers to Nanteuil as "the master of pure engraving" and "the undisputed head of the French school of portraiture". "At its best his work possesses a noble directness of expression and a complete freedom from all the attractive mannerisms by which a spurious reputation is so lightly gained." (Hind, A History of Engraving and Etching, p. 144) This print was made two years after Nanteuil's appointment as portrait engraver to Louis XIV. It was largely due to Nanteuil's influence that the King granted the edict of 1660 by which engraving was pronounced free and distinct from the mechanical arts, and engravers were declared to be entitled to the privileges of other artists. Nanteuil engraved portraits of many distinguished personages, including the King, Cardinal Richelieu and Queen Christina of Sweden. Le Tellier became Secretary of State for War in 1643 and Chancellor of France in 1677. He played a major role in transforming the French army into a much larger and more professional force dependent on the King, and helped draft the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which had granted a large measure of religious freedom to Protestants. The previous owner paid $1800 US plus premium at auction in 2000. Adamczak 159. Pettijean & Wickert 64.

$1200 USD