Messire Nicolas Brulart

About this artwork

blad: hoogte 193 mm (Binnen plaatrand afgesneden.) x breedte 129 mm (Binnen plaatrand afgesneden.)

Art Historical Context

This engraving by Jean Frosne presents a formal portrait of Messire Nicolas Brulart, a figure of 17th-century European nobility. Created between 1633 and 1676, the work measures 193 by 129 millimeters and exemplifies the period’s tradition of printed portraiture. Such images served both to document prominent individuals and to circulate their likenesses across social and geographic boundaries. As an engraving, the piece relies on precise incised lines to render textures of fabric, hair, and facial features with remarkable clarity. This intaglio technique allowed multiple impressions to be produced from a single copper plate, making portraits more widely accessible than unique paintings. The trimmed margins visible in the sheet suggest it was prepared for inclusion in a book or album, a common practice for preserving and studying such works. Frosne’s careful handling of line and shadow conveys both the dignity of the sitter and the technical sophistication of French printmaking during the Baroque era. Today the print offers viewers a direct connection to the visual culture of the time, when engravings helped shape public memory of notable figures.

About the Artist

Jean Frosne · 1630–1700

Jean Frosne (circa 1614–after 1682) was a French engraver whose career spanned much of the 17th century, producing portraits, landscapes, and ornamental prints during the reigns of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Born around 1614 (originally named Jean Froonens, son of a Flemish tapestry maker from the Gobelins), Frosne emerged from humble origins to become an accomplished engraver whose works documente...