Artwork
Woman with Left Profile
Woman with Left Profile is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Jean Mignon. It is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Woman with Left Profile is an etching created by Jean Mignon in 1563. It exemplifies the artist's work as a French printmaker during the mid-16th century.
Subject & Meaning
The etching depicts a woman with a bare shoulder, holding a scroll and gesturing, surrounded by decorative motifs such as birds, grape clusters, and vines within an oval frame. The surrounding scenes may be symbolic, but their specific meaning is unclear.
Technique & Style
Mignon's use of fine lines creates texture, giving the subject a three-dimensional appearance. The work reflects the influence of Italian Mannerist styles on French printmaking, as seen in the artist's adaptation of compositions by Italian artists.
Context
The etching is associated with the First School of Fontainebleau, a cultural and artistic movement in 16th-century France characterized by the blending of French and Italian artistic influences.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean Mignon was a French artist in painting and printmaking in the 16th century, active from 1537 to the mid-1550s.
