Portrait of Adrien-Maurice, Duke of Noailles

Art Historical Context

Welcome to the Prints and Drawings department at the Art Institute of Chicago where Pierre Drevet's *Portrait of Adrien-Maur, Duke of Noailles (1721; printed posthumously after 0) captures the grandeur of 18th-century French nobility. finely detailed engraving on tan wove paper measures 44.5 × 36 cm and reproduces a portrait likely after Hyacinthe Rigaud, master portraitist of Louis XIV's court. Drevet, a leading French engraver of his time, was renowned for translating Rigaud's opulent oils into intricate prints, preserving the duke's dignified pose, elaborate wig, and richly textured attire for wider audiences. Adrien-Maurice, 3rd Duke of Noailles (1678–1766), was a pivotal figure in French military and court life, serving as a marshal under Louis XV and rising through the ranks during the War of the Spanish Succession. Created amid the Regency era's lavish Rococo influences, the engraving reflects the era's fascination with aristocratic portraiture, where status symbols like armor and orders signified power and loyalty to the monarchy. Engraving's significance lies in its reproducibility—Drevet's burin technique allowed precise lines and tonal gradations on copper plates, enabling posthumous printings well into the late 18th century. This piece not only immortalizes a noble lineage but also highlights printmaking's role in democratizing elite imagery, bridging courtly splendor with public admiration.