Who painted Untitled?

Untitled was painted by Pierre Biard in 1600.

Where can I see Untitled?

Untitled is held by Victoria and Albert Museum.

What movement is Untitled?

Untitled is associated with Baroque.

Artwork

Untitled

Pierre Biard , 1600

Untitled is a print by the Baroque artist Pierre Biard. It dates from 1600 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1600, this paper print titled *Untitled* is attributed to Pierre Biard the Younger. The work reproduces a figure originally designed by Michelangelo, and bears the artist’s Latin inscription, “Petrus Biard fesit,” confirming his hand in the piece.

Subject & Meaning

The image presents a nude male figure, rendered in profile and turned to the left. The subject is depicted as a muscular slave, his posture suggesting exertion as he bends forward, emphasizing themes of labor and physical strain common in early seventeenth‑century representations of servitude.

Technique & Style

Biard employs rapid, incisive strokes of ink that generate a stark chiaroscuro effect, modeling the body’s volume through contrasting light and shadow. The lines are deliberately rough and scratchy, giving the skin a textured appearance and enhancing the three‑dimensional illusion despite the medium’s flatness.

History & Provenance

The print is an adaptation of a Michelangelo design, indicating the younger Biard’s engagement with the High Renaissance master’s canon. The presence of the maker’s signature suggests it was intended for circulation among collectors familiar with both Italian models and French printmaking practices of the period.

Artist & collection

Artist

Pierre Biard

Pierre Biard made prints in the early 1600s. You can see The Sibyl Delphica and an Untitled print in this set, both from the same period. These works sit in the long shadow of Renaissance printmaking, when artists…