Portrait of Jacques-Philippe Le Bas - Louis-Jacques Cathelin

A formal eighteenth-century portrait engraving of the French engraver Jacques-Philippe Le Bas, executed by Louis-Jacques Cathelin.

This engraving by Louis-Jacques Cathelin depicts the French engraver Jacques-Philippe Le Bas (1707-1783). The composition follows the tradition of the portrait medallion, a format popular in the eighteenth century for commemorative prints. Le Bas is shown in profile, facing left, wearing a period-appropriate wig and cravat. The subject is enclosed within a circular frame, which is surmounted by a decorative ribbon, resting upon a plain stone plinth.

Cathelin, a pupil of Laurent Cars, was a skilled technician of the burin. His work here demonstrates the precision required for mid-eighteenth-century reproductive printmaking. The shading within the medallion is achieved through controlled cross-hatching, which defines the contours of the face and the texture of the wig. The background of the medallion is rendered with horizontal lines, providing a neutral field that draws attention to the sitter. The print is a formal, dignified representation, typical of the era's approach to documenting the lives of notable artists and intellectuals.

This specific impression is presented as part of a larger collection, as evidenced by the page number in the upper corner and the handwritten annotations below the plate. The annotations identify the sitter and the engraver, providing a clear provenance for the print. The clean lines and balanced composition reflect the orderly aesthetic of the period. It is a fine example of the portraiture style that dominated French print culture before the turn of the century. The work remains a useful historical document, capturing the likeness of one of the most prolific engravers of the French school.