Artwork
L'indiscret
L'indiscret is an ink print by the Baroque artist François Marie Isidore Queverdo. It dates from 1772 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
François Marie Isidore Queverdo’s 1772 etching titled L’indiscret presents a refined interior tableau. Executed on paper, the work measures a modest size typical of eighteenth‑century prints and is bounded by an ornamental frame of scrollwork and floral motifs that echo the decorative taste of the period.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a gentleman in a long coat clutching a scroll on the left, opposite a lady who leans by a draped chair, holding a fan and a small object. The title, translating to “The Indiscreet,” suggests a moment of flirtatious or secretive exchange, inviting viewers to imagine the nature of their conversation.
Technique & Style
Queverdo employed the traditional etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate with a needle before immersing it in acid to bite the design. The resulting delicate hatching creates subtle shading and texture, rendering the fabrics, furnishings, and ornamental background with a soft, almost tactile quality.
History & Provenance
First issued in 1772, the print circulated among collectors of French decorative prints. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work appears in several nineteenth‑century catalogues of Queverdo’s oeuvre, indicating its continued appreciation among connoisseurs of Rococo‑influenced graphic art.
Artist & collection
