Robert Nanteuil (c. 1623-1678)
Portrait of Claude Regnauldin (c. 1605-1675)
1658, engraving on paper, first state of five
12 3/4 x 9 3/4 in. (32.4 x 24.8 cm) (image size)
Gift of Mrs. Frederick Paul Keppel (C00.0802.161)

This print was made from two plates, one for Regnauldin’s portrait and the other for a poem by Cougnet that affirms the qualities that Regnauldin, a magistrate, possessed as depicted in Nanteuil’s portrait: a clear and discerning vision, an even temper and just spirit, and a calm self-confidence. The texture of the hair is masterful – the goatee thick and shapely, the mustache neatly combed and the hair curling at the tip. This portrait illustrated several theses between 1658 and 1662, exemplifying that some students could order impressions from an existing copper plate rather than commission a new portrait altogether, though the existing plate could be reworked if needed.