Louise Renee de Penancoet de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures the likeness of Louise Renee de Penancoet de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth, through the skilled hand of Edward Davis working after original design by Sir Peter Lely. Created as a print during the period 1601 to 1650, the work reflects the era’s interest in courtly portraiture and the dissemination of images of prominent figures. Its modest sheet size of 29.6 × 23.5 cm made it well suited for personal collections and wider circulation. Engraving as a medium allowed artists to translate painted portraits into reproducible form, extending the reach of Lely’s elegant style beyond the original canvas. Davis’s careful line work preserves the refined details and composed demeanor typical of such reproductions, offering viewers insight into both the subject’s status and the collaborative practices of 17th-century printmaking. Part of the Rosenwald Collection at the National Gallery of Art, this print highlights the important role reproductive engravings played in documenting and sharing artistic achievements across generations.