Artwork
Jean Le Feron
Jean Le Feron is an ink print by the Baroque artist Balthasar Moncornet. It dates from 1634 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1634 by French artist Balthasar Moncornet, this engraving on laid paper presents a portrait of Jean Le Feron. The work is a chest‑high, forward‑facing depiction that combines a finely rendered figure with a modest landscape background, typical of Moncornet’s output of portrait prints in the early seventeenth century.
Subject & Meaning
Jean Le Feron, the sitter, appears with a composed expression, long curled hair, and a broad hat, suggesting a status of respectability. The inclusion of a distant scene of trees, hills and water may allude to his connection to the countryside or to convey a sense of calm authority, a common device in portraiture of notable individuals of the period.
Technique & Style
Moncornet employs intricate cross‑hatching and fine line work to model the face, cloak, and hat, achieving a convincing sense of volume and texture. The use of laid paper provides a subtle tooth that enhances the depth of the engraving, while the detailed rendering of the background landscape demonstrates the artist’s skill in integrating figure and setting within a Baroque aesthetic.
History & Provenance
The portrait belongs to a series of roughly forty‑five engraved likenesses produced by Moncornet, who was active as both painter and printmaker in seventeenth‑century France. While specific ownership records are scarce, the print has survived in several museum collections, reflecting its circulation among collectors of portrait prints during and after Moncornet’s lifetime.
Artist & collection
Artist
Balthasar Moncornet (1600, Rouen – 1668, Paris) was a French painter, engraver, and tapissier revered for his depictions of around 45 different prominent figures of the 17th century.
