Artwork
Francois de Nesmond
Francois de Nesmond is an ink print by the Baroque artist Robert Nanteuil. It dates from 1663 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. This 1663 engraving presents a dignified male figure in a formal pose.
About this work
The border is packed with Latin words and decorative lines, giving it a fancy, official look.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with short curly hair and a serious expression. He’s wearing a white collar and a dark robe, holding a small cross around his neck. Below him sits a coat of arms with a shield and strange symbols.
The border is packed with Latin words and decorative lines, giving it a fancy, official look. The artist signed it in the corner, noting it was made in 1663.
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Overview
This 1663 engraving presents a dignified male figure in a formal pose. He wears a white ruff, a dark robe, and a modest crucifix at his throat, his short curly hair framing a solemn expression. The composition is framed by an ornate border filled with Latin inscriptions and decorative motifs, and a heraldic shield appears beneath the portrait.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is identified as François de Nesmond, a person of some standing in mid‑seventeenth‑century France. The inclusion of the cross and the coat of arms suggests both personal piety and noble lineage, typical of portraiture intended to convey status and virtue within the courtly milieu.
Technique & Style
Executed in fine black‑and‑white line work, the print reflects the precise, highly detailed approach of its creator. The engraving displays delicate hatching to model the facial features and fabric textures, while the surrounding border employs intricate lettering and ornamental scrollwork, hallmarks of the period’s official portrait prints.
History & Provenance
The image was produced by Robert Nanteuil, a leading French engraver who served the court of Louis XIV. Nanteuil’s reputation for rendering the likenesses of prominent individuals made his works valuable records of the era’s elite. The print bears the artist’s signature and the date 1663, confirming its origin within his prolific output during the early reign of the Sun King.
Artist & collection
Artist
Robert Nanteuil (French pronunciation: ; 1623 – 9 December 1678) was a French portrait artist: engraver, draughtsman and pastellist to the court of Louis XIV.
