Old Man With a Long Beard
Original title: Old Man With a Long Beard
kurzbeschreibung
A long-bearded old man in profile, captured in an etching by Captain William E. Baillie from 1761. The sheet measures 13.9 × 10.5 cm (plate) and survives in the third of three states.
Description
An elderly man with a long, wavy beard and curly hair steps forward, dressed in a plain dark robe. Behind him the ground stays dark and undefined, so that the sitter's face becomes the resting point of the image. Latin words can be made out at the bottom, probably a description or a title. At the lower right sit a monogram and the year 1761.
Context
Behind the plate stands a British officer and amateur artist: Captain William E. Baillie, active in the eighteenth century. This sheet came about in 1761, when portraits and character studies were in demand in printmaking. Baillie presumably conceived it as an independent work, circulated in a limited edition.
Impact
An intimate, contemplative mood comes across from the dark, blurred surroundings and the delicate linework. The long beard and curly hair give the sitter a dignified air, almost biblical.
Technique
Fine lines and hatching shape the etching, recording the portrait's textures and contours with precision. Careful reworking of the plate marks the third of three states.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)