Portrait of Louis XV (1710-1774)

Le Blon employed his innovative three‑ and four‑plate color printing process, combining mezzotint engraving with the RYB (red‑yellow‑blue) color model. This method allowed him to layer separate plates for different hues, achieving a nuanced range of tones and a subtle gradation of light that mimics the softness of painted oil works while retaining the crispness of print.

Created in 1739, the portrait entered the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains part of the museum’s European prints and drawings department. Its acquisition reflects the Institute’s interest in early color‑printing experiments and the representation of European monarchs in graphic media.

The portrait was produced during a period when French court culture favored the Rococo aesthetic—light, ornamental, and intimate. Le Blon’s use of color printing aligned with contemporary experiments in reproducing the painterly qualities of oil portraits, catering to a market for affordable yet high‑quality images of royalty.

Le Blon’s color‑printing technique anticipated later developments in chromolithography and modern color reproduction. The Louis XV portrait stands as a documented example of how early eighteenth‑century artists merged traditional engraving with emerging color technologies, influencing subsequent generations of printmakers.