J.Barbey d'Aurevilly
Medium
etching and drypoint printed in red on thin japan paper
Dimensions
plate: 11.1 x 8.2 cm (4 3/8 x 3 1/4 in.) sheet: 31.6 x 22.8 cm (12 7/16 x 9 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Daniel Bell and Pearl K. Bell
Accession Number
2006.68.79
Art Historical Context
This intimate portrait etching captures the likeness of Jules Barbey d’Aurevilly, the celebrated French writer and dandy whose sharp wit and flamboyant style defined late-nineteenth-century literary circles. Created in 1879 by Paul Adolphe Rajon, a skilled French printmaker renowned for his sensitive portraits, the work reflects the era’s fascination with literary celebrities and the refined art of etching. Rajon employed etching and drypoint, techniques that allow for delicate lines and rich tonal effects, then printed the image in red ink on fine Japan paper. The warm sanguine hue lends the...