Jacques Le Coigneux 1654

Editor: Here we have Robert Nanteuil's 1654 engraving of Jacques Le Coigneux, currently residing at The Met. It has an air of formality and I'm curious about it, particularly its production as a print. What catches your eye about this portrait? Curator: It's fascinating to consider the context of printmaking in 17th-century France. Engravings like this were not just aesthetic objects. They were commodities, products of skilled labor intended for consumption. Think about the layers involved: the original painting which this engraving references, the engraver’s meticulous labor, the materials like the metal plate and inks, and then the distribution networks that carried this image far and wide. Does seeing it as a *produced* object shift your perspective? Editor: Yes, definitely. Focusing on production really demystifies it. I tend to look at artworks for symbolic meaning but this feels different. So, how does Nanteuil’s choice of engraving materials impact the final image, compared to other printing techniques? Curator: Engraving offered Nanteuil a level of precision that woodcut, for instance, couldn't match. That fine line work allowed him to replicate textures—the fur trim, the fabric of his robes—conveying not just likeness but also the sitter's wealth and status. Think about how that intersects with the social context; portrait prints like these catered to a market eager to participate in the display of power. Editor: It's a fascinating system of production and distribution! So, how does recognizing the materiality and labor transform our reading of someone like Jacques Le Coigneux and his portrait? Curator: It brings it down to earth, doesn’t it? It makes it about skilled hands, about markets, about a burgeoning visual culture, instead of some airy notion of genius or inherent worth. Editor: Absolutely! This deeper appreciation for the material aspects adds layers of insight to my perception of the piece. Thanks so much!