Manhood, plate three from The Four Ages of Man
1636
Medium
Etching on paper
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
23707
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Abraham Bosse primarily depicted scenes of 17th-century Parisian society and was considered original and highly influential on French art. A follower of Jacques Callot, Bosse adopted the belief that etchings should imitate engravings, using special techniques allowing him to create swelling lines through the etching ground. No longer depicting the curious boy nor the wanton young man, in Manhood Bosse celebrates the third age of man. In this scene of refined affluence and composure, an establish...
About the Artist
Abraham Bosse · 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 ...