The artist's mother, head and bust: three quarters right 1719 - 1780

This etching by François Vivares, whose birth dates to 1709, portrays the head and bust of an elderly woman, identified as the artist's mother. The proliferation of portrait prints in 18th century Europe was closely tied to the rise of a commercial art market. They reflect the growing importance of individual identity and the increasing accessibility of art to the middle classes. Vivares, a French-born printmaker working in England, specialized in landscapes and portraits. This image is made using etching, a printmaking technique that allowed for detailed and reproducible images. Notice how the fine lines capture the texture of the skin and the details of the clothing. To fully understand this image, we might research the social status of women in 18th-century England, or investigate the role of family and domesticity in artistic patronage. The meaning of this portrait, like all art, is shaped by the historical circumstances of its production and reception.