A gentleman with his head turned towards the right in profile, wearing a plumed hat and a cloak with the cross of the Order of the Holy Spirit, holding a whip in his right hand and his left arm in a sling, from "La Jardin de la Noblesse Françoise dans lequel ce peut ceuillir leur maniere de Vettements"

Art Historical Context

This etching, created in 1629 by Bosse after designs by Jean de Saint-Ig, captures a nobleman in elegant profile, his head turned right. He sports a plumed hat, a flowing cloak adorned with the distinctive cross of the Order of Holy Spirit—a prestigious French chivalric order founded in 1578—and holds a whip in his right while his left arm rests in a sling. Titled *A gentleman with his head towards the right in profile*, it hails fromLa Jardin de la Nobse Françoise*, a celebrated series documenting the attire and fashions of French aristocracy during the reign of Louis XIII. As an etching, a technique Bosse mastered for its precision and tonal richness, the print exemplifies 17th-century reproductive printmaking. Bosse, a leading French artist, produced detailed costume books like this to disseminate noble styles across Europe, blending documentary accuracy with artistic flair. The sling adds a narrative touch, perhaps evoking a wounded gallant, highlighting the era's romanticized view of nobility amid courtly life and military pursuits. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011), this 7 3/8 × 5 1/16 in. sheet offers a window into early modern French fashion and hierarchy, where symbols like the Holy Spirit cross signified elite status and royal favor. A delightful glimpse for visitors into the grandeur of *la noblesse françoise*!

About the Artist

Abraham Bosse|Jean de Saint-Igny · 1602–1676

Abraham Bosse (1604–1676) was a French printmaker and theorist whose approximately 1,600 etchings provide an unparalleled visual record of 17th-century French life. Born to Huguenot parents in Tours, he trained in Paris under Melchior Tavernier and became a devoted follower of Jacques Callot's technical innovations. Bosse's meticulous etchings depicted subjects ranging from daily life and fashion ...