Bust Portrait of a Woman wearing a Hooded Mantle
Original title: Bust Portrait of a Woman wearing a Hooded Mantle
kurzbeschreibung
This etching by François Boucher, made in the 18th century, shows a woman in a wide-brimmed hat and a cloak, her hands resting on a flat surface. The impression is a first state, meaning an early pull taken before any later reworking of the plate.
Description
A broad-brimmed hat casts its shadow across the woman's face; her gaze turns slightly to the left with a calm, pensive expression. Below the face her hands lie on a square area. Hat and cloak are rendered through fine folds and gradations of shading that give the fabric a sculptural presence. Light falling from the front sharpens the contours of face and headwear. Everything stays in black and white.
Context
Boucher, a leading figure of the French Rococo in the 18th century, produced this etching at a time when he was also making prints alongside his paintings, often issued in series. His graphic work shows traces of Dutch portraiture. A first state denotes an early impression pulled before the plate was subsequently revised.
Impact
The lowered gaze and quiet bearing give the sheet an intimate, still atmosphere. The shadowed areas beneath the hat lend the portrait a reflective, faintly mysterious mood. Delicately graded lines and soft shading make this etching an example of Rococo graphic elegance.
Technique
The drawing was cut into the acid-resistant ground of a copper plate and then bitten with acid, the process of etching. Printed in black ink on paper, it yields the monochrome appearance seen here. Fine hatching and nuanced tonal values, typical of 18th-century etching, define the print.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)