Portret van Étienne Macdonald, Duc de Tarente - Auguste Toussaint Lecler

A detailed lithographic portrait of Étienne Macdonald, Duke of Tarente, in his formal military uniform, produced in the early nineteenth century.

This lithographic portrait depicts Étienne Macdonald, the Marshal of the Empire and Duke of Tarente. Produced by Auguste Toussaint Lecler and printed by the G. Engelmann workshop, the work captures the subject in his formal military attire. The composition focuses on the bust of the Marshal, who is shown in a three-quarter view, gazing slightly upwards and to the left. His uniform features the high collar, epaulettes, and decorative embroidery characteristic of Napoleonic-era military dress, complete with the insignia of his rank.

Lecler employs the lithographic medium to achieve a range of tonal values, particularly in the shading of the face and the texture of the fabric. The technique allows for a soft, painterly quality that distinguishes the print from the sharper lines of traditional copperplate engraving. The background remains plain, ensuring that the viewer's attention stays fixed on the subject's features and the details of his uniform. The inscription at the base, 'Le Mal. Macdonald, Duc de Tarente', identifies the sitter, while the credit to G. Engelmann notes the technical collaboration common in nineteenth-century French printmaking. Engelmann was a significant figure in the popularisation of lithography in France, and this print reflects the high standards of the period's commercial portraiture. The work provides a clear visual record of a military figure who played a role in the Napoleonic Wars, presented with the formal restraint typical of the era's portraiture.