Artwork
Ordination
Ordination is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jean Dughet. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jean Dughet’s print titled Ordination, executed around 1650, combines etching and engraving on a pair of laid‑paper sheets. The work is part of the National Gallery of Art’s collection in Washington, D.C. It presents a ceremonial gathering of robed figures centered on a standing individual whose raised arm commands attention, set against a distant landscape that includes structures and a bridge.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a formal ordination ceremony, with clergy or officials in elaborate robes assembled around the central officiant. Their focused gazes and the elevated gesture of the central figure suggest the transmission of authority or sacred duty, while the surrounding architecture hints at a civic or ecclesiastical setting that frames the ritual’s public significance.
Technique & Style
Dughet employed a hybrid of etching and engraving, allowing fine line work for the intricate folds of the robes and expressive faces, while broader, softer strokes render the background. The use of light and shadow, achieved through varied line density, creates depth, highlighting the central figure and imparting a subtle atmospheric perspective to the distant landscape.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑17th century, Ordination reflects Dughet’s engagement with printmaking at a time when such works circulated among collectors and institutions. The print eventually entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings, where it remains accessible for study and exhibition, representing an example of French engraving practice of the period.
Artist & collection
