The Prophet Elias

Art Historical Context

### The Prophet Elias This striking print, *The Prophet Elias*, showcases collaborative talents of French painter Laurent de La Hyre engravers Herman Weyen and Nicolas Pit. De La Hyre, a key figure in 17th-century French Classicism, likely provided the original design, while Weyen and Pitau masterfully translated it into engraving with etching—a technique blending the precise lines of engraving for intricate details with etching's fluid, tonal effects. Measuring 16 3/4 x 11 inches, the sheet captures the biblical prophet Elias (Elijah), a revered Old Testament figure known for his miracles and fiery ascension to heaven, tagged simply as "Men" in the collection. Created around the mid-17th century (date not specified), this work reflects the era's booming print culture in Europe, where reproductive prints like this one made prestigious paintings accessible to a wider audience, from nobility to scholars. Acquired through the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1953, it resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, highlighting the medium's role in preserving and disseminating classical religious imagery. The combination of techniques lends a dramatic depth, evoking the spiritual intensity of Counter-Reformation art while exemplifying French elegance. Visitors will appreciate how such prints bridged painting and popular devotion, bringing sacred stories into everyday contemplation.

About the Artist

Laurent de La Hyre|Herman Weyen|Nicolas Pitau · 1606–1656

Laurent de La Hyre (1606–1656) was a French painter whose elegant, classical compositions placed him among the finest artists of the first generation of French Baroque painters working in Paris. Born into an artistic family — his father Étienne de La Hyre was also a painter — Laurent received his early training largely through independent study rather than formal apprenticeship under a single domi...