Monsieur Aristide Briand, Former Premier of France

Art Historical Context

In the interwar years following World War I, American artist Walter Tittle captured likeness of Aristide Briand France's influential former Premier, in this 1921 dry print titled *Monsieur Aristide Briand, Former Premier of France*.and, a statesman renowned for his diplomatic efforts toward European reconciliation, including the 1925 Locarno Pact (for which he later shared the Nobel Peace Prize embodies the era's hope for stability. Tittle, celebrated for his elegant portraits of world leaders and diplomats, brings a sense of gravitas and introspection to Briand's features, reflecting the political turbulence of postwar France. Executed in drypoint—a direct intaglio technique where the artist scratches lines into a copper plate, raising a soft burr for rich, velvety textures—this work on wove paper showcases Tittle's mastery of subtle tonal gradations and expressive linework. The plate measures 30 × 25.08 cm, with the sheet slightly larger at 38.74 × 31.75 cm, allowing for generous margins that enhance its intimate scale. Unlike smoother etching processes, drypoint's tactile quality lends a painterly immediacy, making each impression unique due to the burr's wear over editions. Now part of the Corcoran Collection at the National Gallery of Art (bequest of Frank B. Bristow), this print offers visitors a window into early 20th-century portraiture, blending artistic finesse with the cultural weight of Franco-American artistic exchange.

About the Artist

Walter Tittle · 1883–1966

Walter Tittle was an American illustrator, portraitist, and printmaker who built a distinguished career in the early decades of the twentieth century, working across the overlapping worlds of magazine illustration, literary portraiture, and fine art printmaking. Born in Springfield, Ohio, he studied at the Art Students League of New York, an institution that provided rigorous training in drawing a...