Artwork
Ph. Cl. A. de Thubières, Comte de Caylus
Ph. Cl. A. de Thubières, Comte de Caylus is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty. It dates from 1765 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Ph.
About this work
Overview
Ph. Cl. A. de Thubières, Comte de Caylus is a mezzotint portrait print on laid paper, created around 1765 by Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty, a French artist known for his printed portraits of notable figures.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts Philippe Charles d'Albert de Luynes, Comte de Caylus, a French antiquarian and arts patron. The subject is shown with a serious expression, conveying a sense of dignity and intellectual gravitas.
Technique & Style
The mezzotint technique allowed Gautier-Dagoty to achieve rich tonal variations, creating a textured appearance in the subject's hair and clothing. The use of strong contrasts between light and dark areas is characteristic of the chiaroscuro style, which was popular in 18th-century portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty
Jean-Baptiste André Gautier-Dagoty, or simply Gautier d'Agoty (15 September 1740, in Paris – 1786, in Paris) was a French painter who specialized in portraits.
