← Gabriel Huquier

Two Children, One With A Sword, Another With A Helmet

Original title: Two Children, One With A Sword, Another With A Helmet

Artist

Gabriel Huquier

Medium

Etching and Engraving

Dimensions

sheet: 12 x 17 5/8 in. (30.5 x 44.8 cm) plate: 9 3/4 x 10 9/16 in. (24.8 x 26.9 cm)

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1957

kurzbeschreibung

A sword in one hand, a helmet in the other: Gabriel Huquier's print shows two angels floating among the clouds, armed with these objects. The etching and engraving was made in the 18th century after a design by François Boucher.

Description

Two angels hover in the clouds. The one on the left holds a sword and looks downward, while the right one carries a helmet in his hand and gazes upward. Both have wings and go barefoot. Clouds in various shades fill the background. At the lower left sits the monogram 'F. Boucher inc.', at the lower right the text 'Huquier ex rue St.Jacque CPR'.

Context

Gabriel Huquier, an 18th-century French engraver, reproduced many works by François Boucher. The inscription 'F. Boucher inc.' names Boucher as the inventor of the composition. Huquier ran a print business on the Rue Saint-Jacques in Paris, as the note on the sheet indicates.

Impact

Delicate linework and the soft rendering of the clouds give the sheet an airy, elegant presence. The opposing gazes of the two angels create a dynamic tension within the calm arrangement.

Technique

Etching and engraving are combined here, allowing for precise yet nuanced detail. The technique permits fine hatching and soft transitions, most visible in the clouds.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)