François-Emmanuel Pommyer, abbot of Bonneval

Art Historical Context

This intimate portrait by Charles Nicolas Cochin II depicts François-Emmanuel Pommyer, abbot of Bonneval, rendered in 177 with black chalk and pencil on a modest sheet measuring just 4½ by 3½ inches. Cochin, a prominent French draftsman and engraver active during the Enlightenment, was renowned for his precise, elegant likenesses that captured the personalities of notable contemporaries. The small scale suggests it may have served as a study or a private keepsake, highlighting the abbot’s dignified presence through subtle shading and fine line work. As part of the Metropolitan Museum’s Robert Lehman Collection, the drawing reflects the refined portrait tradition of 18th-century France, where artists balanced formality with personal insight. Cochin’s technique emphasizes the sitter’s clerical status while conveying a sense of quiet authority, offering viewers a window into the world of ecclesiastical figures on the eve of the French Revolution. Its presence in the museum underscores the enduring appeal of such works as both historical documents and examples of masterful draftsmanship.