Voltaire Seen in Profile
n.d.
Medium
Etching on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Plate: 21.2 × 16 cm (8 3/8 × 6 5/16 in.); Sheet: 22 × 17.8 cm (8 11/16 × 7 1/16 in.)
Classification
etching
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
140639
Art Historical Context
"Voltaire Seen in Profile" is a captivating etching by Swiss artist Jean Huber, a close friend and neighbor of the Enlightenment philosopher Voltaire in Ferney, France. Created around the late 18th century (date unknown), this intimate portrait captures the iconic thinker in a sharp profile view, emphasizing his aquiline nose and thoughtful expression. Huber, renowned for his prolific series of over 200 images of Voltaire—ranging from reverent portraits to playful caricatures—produced this work as part of his unique documentation of the philosophe's life, blending admiration with gentle satire...