Cardinal Richelieu, Kneeling, Presents His Book to the Virgin and Child
Medium
Engraving; second state of six
Dimensions
sheet: 8 9/16 x 6 1/4 in. (21.8 x 15.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953
Accession Number
53.601.217
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In this striking 17th-century engraving, titled *Cardinal Richelieu, Kneeling, Presents His Book to the Virgin and Child*, French master engraver Claude Mellan captures a moment of profound devotion. Created around 1646—this is the second state of six, a testament to Mellan's meticulous refinements—the image depicts the powerful Cardinal Duc de Richelieu, chief minister to King Louis XIII, humbly kneeling before the Virgin Mary and Christ Child. Clutching a book, likely symbolizing his own scholarly or political writings, Richelieu is surrounded by ethereal angels, blending personal piety with grand Baroque religious iconography. Mellan's expertise shines in the medium of engraving, where he used a burin to carve intricate lines into a copper plate, producing rich tonal contrasts and delicate details on this modest sheet (8 9/16 x 6 1/4 in.). As a leading figure in French printmaking, Mellan was renowned for his virtuosic line work, evident here in the flowing drapery and heavenly figures. Produced shortly after Richelieu's death in 1642, the print served as both memorial and act of patronage, reflecting the era's fusion of politics, faith, and art. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953), this work invites us to ponder the cardinal's complex legacy—a statesman who wielded immense power while embracing Catholic devotion. It's a window into 17th-century Europe's cultural reverence for the Madonna and Child motif.
About the Artist
Claude Mellan|Cardinal Duc de Richelieu · 1598–1688
Claude Mellan (1598-1688) was a French draughtsman, engraver, and painter who became one of the most innovative printmakers of the French Baroque period. Born in Abbeville to a family of coppersmiths, Mellan rose to become Peintre et Graveur Ordinaire du Roi (Painter and Engraver in Ordinary to the King), achieving recognition for his extraordinary technical mastery. Mellan's artistic significanc...