Not currently on display at the V&A

Marie-Antoinette

Print
1777 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Jean-François Janinet (1752-1814) created the central portrait of Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, shown here at the age of twenty one, from four separate printing plates each inked in either red, blue, yellow or black. He was trying to simulate the appearance of a pastel drawing by printing from multiple plates in different colours. The elaborate frame was printed separately by means of three plates inked in blue, orange and gold; this design was then superimposed over the portrait.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleMarie-Antoinette (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour aquatint on paper
Brief description
Portrait of Marie-Antoinette, colour aquatint, Jean Francois Janinet, 1777
Physical description
Portrait of Marie-Antoinette at the age of 21.
Dimensions
  • Height: 40.8cm
  • Width: 31.9cm
  • Height: 60cm
  • Width: 44cm
The bottom set of dimensions include the frame but not the mirror plates, which measure 2cm on the top and bottom
Gallery label
Jones Galleries Portrait of Marie-Antoinette French; 1777 Jean François Janinet (1752-1814) Colour etching and engraving on two sheets in black, yellow, red, blue, orange and gold This print shows the queen in court dress. It demonstrates the heights of technical sophisticationreached by French eighteenth-century colour printing. French printmakers were producing images suitable for framing and display, which were capable of standing comparison with framed drawings and paintings.(1970s to 22/07/09)
Credit line
Bryan Bequest
Subjects depicted
Summary
Jean-François Janinet (1752-1814) created the central portrait of Queen Marie-Antoinette of France, shown here at the age of twenty one, from four separate printing plates each inked in either red, blue, yellow or black. He was trying to simulate the appearance of a pastel drawing by printing from multiple plates in different colours. The elaborate frame was printed separately by means of three plates inked in blue, orange and gold; this design was then superimposed over the portrait.
Collection
Accession number
E.422-1905

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Record createdDecember 12, 2002
Record URL
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