Artwork

Leonard de Lamet

Leonard de Lamet, by Pierre Drevet, ink, 1700
Leonard de Lamet, by Pierre Drevet, ink, 1700

Leonard de Lamet is an ink print by the Baroque artist Pierre Drevet. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Leonard de Lamet is a black-and-white engraving created by Pierre Drevet in 1700. It portrays a solemn figure, identified as Leonard de Lamet, set against a dark, swirling curtain with accompanying symbols of his occupation or status.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, Leonard de Lamet, is depicted in a high-collar robe with hands resting on a folded document, suggesting a professional or scholarly persona. Latin titles around the edges further delineate his role or achievements.

Technique & Style

The engraving exemplifies the Drevet family's renowned precision and craftsmanship. Characterized by sharp, precise line work, it reflects the technical excellence of late 17th- to early 18th-century French reproductive engraving.

History & Provenance

Pierre Drevet's Leonard de Lamet marks the beginning of the Drevet family's century-long prominence in French portrait engraving. The work itself is dated to 1700 and signed by the artist.

Context

Created during the transition from the 17th to the 18th century, this piece is part of a broader French artistic tradition that valued detailed, high-quality engravings for portraitures of notable figures.

Legacy

As an early work of the Drevet family, Leonard de Lamet contributes to the legacy of French engraving techniques and the family's influence on subsequent generations of engravers.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Pierre Drevet

Artist

Pierre Drevet

The Drevet Family were leading portrait engravers of France for over a hundred years. Their fame began with Pierre, and was sustained by his son, Pierre-Imbert, and by his nephew, Claude.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.