alb30804317
Woman reading in 'L'Art d'Aimer', Hony soit qui mal y pense, print, printmaker: François Hubert, after painting by P. Davesne, publisher: SM Picot, London, 1754 - 1809, paper, engraving, etching, height 434 mm x width 310 mm, ornament, cartouche, reading, lovesick lover., A monochrome engraving of a seated woman framed within an oval medallion that is decorated with floral garlands and ribbons; she is shown from the waist up reclining against an upholstered chair with a curved back, wearing a low-necked gown with ruffled sleeves and a large tied bow at the bodice, her hair arranged in curled ringlets with small floral ornaments, and a translucent drapery billows behind her. Her head tilts slightly and her eyes gaze outward, one arm rests on the chair while the other hand holds an open booklet resting on her lap. The surrounding border features detailed botanical motifs including roses, leaves, and braided garlands woven across the top and bottom edges. The engraving uses fine crosshatching and stippling to render textures of fabric, skin, and background, with ornate framing that separates the central portrait from the patterned outer field.
DC
