Evening star., 1944-04-02

that some of his important plates
were engraved when he was little
more than a lad which is quite |
improbable. His first instructor was
his brother-i -in-law, Nicholas Reg
nesson, an engraver. Later in Paris
he studied under Philippe de Cham
paigne, one of the foremost portrait
painters Of the time, whose portrait
of Cardinal Richelieu he later en-
graved, and beautifully. He also
learned what he could from his
contemporaries studying their works
and methods. On this foundation
Nanteuil built technique peculiarly
his own in the use of which he is
|stil unrivaled.
Exquisite Texture.
Engraving, to the majority, Is a
rather cold, hard medium. The tool
employed is q small steel instrument,
three-sided and sharp at the point
set in wooden handle and called q
burin. With this the engraver deftly
plows his lines on a polished metal
plate, copper in Nanteuilis day. None
knew better than he how to COM
mand this tool. Having, as Louis
Metcalf once said, to do only one
thing, he did it supremely well-so
well in fact that to the uninitiated
lit seems to have been done easily.
In the finished plate from which
impressions were printed there Is
no evidence Of struggle, no self
consciousness nor display of virtu-
osity.e Each stroke Is as, and where
lit should be, to create the impression
desired. None has ever rendered
textures-hesh hair, lace, silk, the
steel Of armor-more correctly and
|exquisitely than he. This was, how
ever. without loss Of effect or at the
peril Of his chief purpose-the in
depreciation Of character.
Great as was Nanteuil's engraving,
technically, still greater was his
power to read those whom he por-
trayed. Not only did he achieve
likeness, according to report, but j
vitality. Those made known through
his engravings are very real per-
sonages,. capable of choice between
good and evil and evidencing that
choice. Nanteuil was q master
draughtsman. Thus he was able to
accurately set down what he saw,
but first he took the utmost pains
to see correctly.
Unlike other engravers of his time
he made his engravings from his
own drawings, rather than from the
works of others. Those who went to
him for portraits had to submit to
keen study on his part. A sketch
in crayon or pastels was the first
step. The sitter was encouraged to
talk and to move about, Nanteuil
holding that both thought and mo-
ton were self-revealing. Thus the
engraved plate was eventually al
composite of impressions rather
than one flashed and caught by
chance. 1t is this fact which gives
these portraits historical significance
and permanent value.
Portraiture reached EXCEPTIONAL
height in the 17th century. While
Nanteuil was making his portraits in
Paris, Rembrandt was painting in
Holland and Velasques In Spain.
That he should have been Influenced
by such works of the former as he |
might have seen would seem reason
able, but study of his engravings in |
the current exhibition leads to the
belief that there was closer affinity
between himself and the latter
Simple as are his engraved portraits
in effect, they possess striking
third dimentional factor which is |
also to be remarked in the canvases
OF the great Spanish painter. In
fact Nanteuil's engravings, almost |
without exception, have a painter
like quality which sets them apart.
Decorative Settings.
The decorative element in these
works should also be noted, not only
as lending charm, but as essentially
French in spirit. Almost always he
gave his portraits decorative setting
through the medium of his graver.
Usually such settings are simple but
occasionally they are elaborated by
means OF leafy borders as in the
portrait of Denis Talon-a famous
plate. Others have Latin inscrip-
tions well lettered and impressive.
Here again is manifested the pro-
verbal French taste.
Nanteuil was fortunate in living
at a time when art was in the
ascendent. Colbert, Minister to
Louis XIV, was a devotee of art
founder Of the Academy, the Salon
and Louvre collection. 1t was he
who brought Nanteuil to the atten-
ton of the King and Court, thus
opening to him the door of oppor-
tunity. Among the IS engraved
portraits by Nanteuil, now on view
in the National Gallery, is a large
size one of Colbert, his fellow towns
man and benefactor, as we'll as one
of like proportions, Of Louis lie
Grand Monarque."
or very great interest are the
portraits Of Cardinal Richelieu,
after a painting by Champagne,
and OF Pompone de Bellievre after
one by Charles LIE Brun, the latter
commonly considered the most beau
tiful engraved portrait in existence.
Likewise notable in this distin-
guished assemblage are portraits of
Nicholas Fouquet and his brother
Basile, both from original sketches
by the engraver. Nicholas engaged
attention, it will be remembered, by
living in greater magnificence than
the King, being tried for disloyalty,
condemned to death but not exc
cuted; the latter as the most
accomplished rascal that ever fished
In troubled waters"
Saints and Sinners.
Here, too. are saints as we'll as !
sinners. For instance Cardinal
BarberinO. Bishop of Porrieres.