Artwork
Le Chiffre d'amour
Le Chiffre d'amour is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Nicolas Delaunay. It dates from 1786 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1786, *Le Chiffre d’amour* is a print by French artist Nicolas Delaunay that combines etching with engraving. The work presents a single figure in a tranquil outdoor setting, framed by an ornamental border that emphasizes its intimate scale.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a woman in a flowing dress, holding a piece of paper, while a small dog rests beside her on a cloth-covered surface. A tree and shrubbery form a modest backdrop. The title, translating to “the number of love,” suggests a connection to romantic correspondence or a coded message, reinforcing the contemplative mood of the scene.
Technique & Style
Delaunay employed a hybrid of etching and engraving to achieve a range of line qualities, from delicate hatching to sharper incised strokes. This mixed approach allows nuanced shading and precise detailing of the figure’s attire, the animal’s fur, and the surrounding foliage, characteristic of late‑18th‑century French printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print was produced in the final decade of the Ancien Régime, a period when prints served both decorative and didactic purposes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work appears in several 19th‑century catalogues of Delaunay’s oeuvre, indicating its circulation among collectors of French graphic art.
Artist & collection
