Portret van Jacques-Auguste de Thou

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228a

Art Historical Context

### Portrait of Jacques-Auguste de This striking lithograph captures the dignified likeness of Jacques-Auguste Thou (1553–1617), a renowned French scholar, historian, and statesman the Renaissance era. De Thou's monumental *Historia sui temporis*, comprehensive chronicle of 16th-century Europe, him lasting fame as a humanist intellectual amid turbulent religious wars. Produced anonymously by veuve Delpech (Naudet) between 1818 and 1842, this portrait revives his legacy for 19th-century audiences, measuring a modest 274 × 180 mm—ideal for collectors' albums or scholarly displays. Lithography, the medium here, revolutionized printmaking after its invention around 1798, allowing precise reproduction of portraits from earlier paintings or drawings with a painterly quality. Veuve Delpech, the widow of Parisian lithographer François Séraphin Delpech, was a key figure in France's burgeoning lithography scene, producing affordable, detailed images that democratized access to historical figures. The verso bears a collector's mark (Lugt 2228a), hinting at its prized status in private libraries. A testament to enduring admiration for Enlightenment forebears, this work bridges centuries, inviting us to ponder de Thou's world of diplomacy and discovery through 19th-century innovation.