Artwork
Cardinal Jules Mazarin
Cardinal Jules Mazarin is an ink print by the Baroque artist Israël Silvestre. It dates from 1656 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work exemplifies Silvestre’s skill in rendering both portraiture and architectural detail within a single composition.
The 1656 engraving of Cardinal Jules Mazarin was produced by the French draftsman and etcher Israel Silvestre. Executed in black and white, the print presents the cardinal in a formal pose, framed by an ornate cartouche that contains miniature scenes of crowds and a building reminiscent of a theater or church. The work exemplifies Silvestre’s skill in rendering both portraiture and architectural detail within a single composition.
Subject & Meaning
The central figure is Jules Mazarin, the influential 17th‑century cardinal who served as chief minister to Louis XIV. Silvestre’s depiction emphasizes the cardinal’s authority through a solemn expression, high‑collared attire, and a decorative frame that alludes to his political and cultural patronage, linking the man to the public spectacles and civic architecture of his era.
Technique & Style
Silvestre employed traditional copper‑plate engraving, incising lines of varying depth to achieve tonal contrast and fine detail. The portrait’s precise hatching defines facial features and fabric texture, while the surrounding cartouche showcases his characteristic topographical interest, rendering miniature figures and structures with a clear, linear perspective. The overall effect balances portrait realism with the decorative complexity typical of mid‑17th‑century French prints.
History & Provenance
Born in Nancy in 1621, Silvestre trained under an uncle connected to the renowned printmaker Jacques Callot. After extensive travels through France, Spain, and Italy, he returned to Paris, where he marketed individual engravings and series. The Mazarin portrait, created during this productive period, was likely sold through his uncle’s print‑selling business, reflecting the market demand for images of prominent political figures in the early reign of Louis XIV.
Artist & collection
Artist
Israel Silvestre (13 August 1621 in Nancy – 11 October 1691 in Paris), called the Younger to distinguish him from his father, was a prolific French draftsman, etcher and print dealer who specialized in topographical views and perspectives…
Castle under Siege
Vuë de l'Eglise sainct Pierre, et du Chasteau Sainct Ange
Palais de la Reyne Catherine de Medicis
Veue de Berny a deux lieues de Paris sur le chemin d'Orléans
L'Eglise Saincte Sophie de Constantinople, bastie par Constantin le Grand; a present Mosquée du Grand seigneur
Campo Vacina
Veuë d'une partie de la place Navonne a Rome
Veue de l'Eglise nostre Dame de Rouen
