Self Portrait Holding Portrait of Wife
Medium
Etching; second state of six
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 1/2 × 12 3/16 in. (39.4 × 31 cm) Plate: 14 13/16 × 11 9/16 in. (37.7 × 29.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of James David Draper, 2000
Accession Number
2000.361.36
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
In 1796, French engraver Jean-Jacques deissieu created *Self Portrait Holding Portrait of Wife*, a poignant etching from the second state of six versions. This intimate self-portrait captures the artist presenting a smaller portrait of his wife, personal devotion with artistic self-reflection during a turbulent era following the French Revolution. Boissieu, renowned for his meticulous etchings that evoke the Rococo spirit amid neoclassical shifts, often depicted himself and loved ones, underscoring the human side of artistry in late 18th-century Europe. Etching's fluid lines allowed Boissieu to achieve remarkable depth and texture, with the second state revealing refined details like subtle shading on faces and clothing—hallmarks of his evolving technique across states. Measuring about 15½ × 12¼ inches on the sheet, this print exemplifies the era's fascination with portraiture as a means of identity and legacy. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, it invites viewers to ponder the artist's domestic life amid revolutionary change, where such personal works offered quiet resilience. (198 words)
About the Artist
Jean Jacques de Boissieu · 1736–1810
French, Lyons 1736–1810 Lyons