Anne-Sophie Herbert, comtesse de Carnarvon
Original title: Anne-Sophie Herbert, comtesse de Carnarvon
kurzbeschreibung
Anne-Sophie Herbert, Countess of Carnarvon, appears here in an etching by Jean Morin. The date of the print is not recorded; it was executed as a drypoint etching in the first state. We see a woman, seated or standing, in traditional dress, set off against a dark ground.
Description
A long-sleeved bodice trimmed with a veil, and a jewelled collar: this is how the sitter emerges. Her hair falls in plaited strands set with pearls. The dark ground makes the figure stand out all the more clearly, and an octagonal frame encloses the portrait. Along the lower edge are the signatures of both the artist and the draughtsman.
Context
Morin, a French printmaker of the seventeenth century, was known above all for etchings after paintings by well-known masters. The sitter, Anne-Sophie Herbert, belonged to the nobility and was connected with the English aristocracy. The portrait probably originated in the circle of the French court, where reproductive prints of this kind served to circulate likenesses. No exact date survives, but Morin's working years fall between 1620 and 1650.
Impact
Delicate lines meet a dark setting, and from this grows an atmosphere of intimacy and dignity. The octagonal framing, the carefully rendered fabrics and the jewellery give the portrait a noble, formal character. Because there is no colour, the eye is drawn mainly to the features of the face and the details of the dress.
Technique
As an etching, the print works with fine lines and hatching. The first state points to an early impression, made before the plate underwent further changes. The sheet measures 34.9 x 26.8 cm, the image area 29.4 x 23.3 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)