Artwork
Le baiser rendu: Le baiser rendu
Le baiser rendu: Le baiser rendu is an ink print by the Baroque artist Charles Louis Lingée. It dates from 1784 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Charles Louis Lingée’s 1784 etching, titled Le baiser rendu, presents a small outdoor tableau set before a building. A gentleman in a long coat extends his hand toward a woman in a flowing dress, while a winged figure leans on a pillar nearby. A child peeks from behind a railing, and two dogs lie at the man’s feet, creating a lively, narrative scene.
Subject & Meaning
The composition juxtaposes a courteous exchange between the man and woman with the presence of an angelic, winged observer. The child’s curious glance and the relaxed dogs add domestic detail, suggesting a moment that blends everyday interaction with a hint of the supernatural, a motif often used to comment on virtue or divine witness.
Technique & Style
Executed as an etching, Lingée employs fine line work to delineate clothing, architecture, and the delicate wings of the figure. The chiaroscuro achieved through varied hatching reflects Baroque sensibilities, where dramatic contrasts and the mingling of realistic and fantastical elements were common.
History & Provenance
Created in 1784, the print belongs to Lingée’s late eighteenth‑century output, a period when French printmakers frequently produced genre scenes for the burgeoning market of illustrated books and albums. Specific ownership records are scarce, but the work has appeared in several catalogues of French etchings from the era.
Artist & collection
