Marie d'Orléans-Longueville, Duchesse de Nemours

Nanteuil employed the fine line work characteristic of Baroque portrait engraving, incising delicate details into a copper plate to achieve tonal variation. The decorative frame, with its swirling motifs and a ribbon bow beneath the chin, reflects the period’s taste for ornamental borders that complement the sitter’s elegance.

As the official engraver to Louis XIV’s court, Nanteuil produced likenesses of prominent figures, and this print would have circulated among the elite as a testament to the duchess’s status. The work likely originated from a commissioned portrait intended for display in a private collection or as a diplomatic token.

The engraving aligns with French Baroque portrait conventions that favored clarity, restrained composition, and a focus on the sitter’s social rank. Nanteuil’s practice of rendering subjects in a sober palette and simple setting mirrors contemporary expectations for courtly representation.