Artwork
Hardouin de Perefixe
Hardouin de Perefixe is an ink print by the Baroque artist Robert Nanteuil. It dates from 1662 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Robert Nanteuil’s 1662 engraving presents a dignified portrait of Hardouin de Perefixe, a figure linked to the French royal court. Executed in black ink, the image centers a solemn man with curly hair, a moustache, and a dark, high‑collared garment. A modest shield bearing a coat of arms rests beneath his chin, framed by a simple oval backdrop that directs attention to the sitter’s expression.
Subject & Meaning
Hardouin de Perefixe, whose precise role within the court remains modestly documented, is rendered with an air of authority and composure. The inclusion of his personal heraldic shield suggests a status of nobility or official appointment, while the direct gaze and restrained demeanor convey confidence and the decorum expected of a courtly official in mid‑seventeenth‑century France.
Technique & Style
The composition’s minimal background—a plain oval—focuses the viewer’s eye on the sitter, a hallmark of Nanteuil’s portrait engravings.
Nanteuil employs delicate, closely spaced lines to model the facial features and the folds of the collar, achieving subtle gradations of tone without the use of color. The shading, achieved through cross‑hatching, creates a three‑dimensional impression of the head and attire. The composition’s minimal background—a plain oval—focuses the viewer’s eye on the sitter, a hallmark of Nanteuil’s portrait engravings.
History & Provenance
Created in 1662, the print reflects Nanteuil’s position as a court engraver under Louis XIV, a period when portraiture served both personal commemoration and political display. While the original plate’s ownership trail is not fully recorded, copies of the engraving have circulated in European collections, attesting to the work’s continued relevance as a documentary image of a lesser‑known court figure.
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.
