Portrait of Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville

Art Historical Context

This elegant 1776 engraving presents a refined profile portrait of Jean-Joseph Cassanéa de Mondonville, the celebrated French violinist and composer known for his innovative sacred works and operas. Created by Charles Nicolas Cochin II in collaboration with engraver Jean Marie Delattre, the small-scale print captures the musician’s distinctive features with crisp lines and subtle tonal shading typical of 18th-century French graphic art. Engravings like this played a vital role in the Enlightenment era, allowing images of cultural figures to circulate widely among the educated public. The profile format, reminiscent of ancient Roman coins and cameos, lent the subject an air of timeless dignity and classical learning—qualities highly valued in Mondonville’s day. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this intimate work exemplifies how printmaking bridged the worlds of music, literature, and visual art during a vibrant period of French cultural life.