A fine stipple engraving from 1780 by Jean Baptiste Michel, after Peter Paul Rubens, depicting the allegorical figures of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

This stipple engraving, published in London in 1780 by John Boydell, reproduces an allegorical composition by Peter Paul Rubens. Jean Baptiste Michel, a French engraver active in London, demonstrates technical precision in his handling of the stipple technique, which allows for subtle tonal gradations and a soft, painterly quality. The work depicts the three theological virtues: Faith, Hope, and Charity, represented through a group of figures and infants.

Faith is typically associated with the cross held by the infant, while Charity is often represented by the maternal figure embracing the children. The composition is contained within a circular frame, a format that draws the eye toward the central interaction between the figures. The soft light, emanating from the upper right, illuminates the forms and creates a sense of volume in the drapery and the figures of the children. The inclusion of a dove in the upper background adds a spiritual dimension to the scene, consistent with the religious iconography of the period.

Michel’s work for Boydell was part of a broader effort to make European masterworks accessible to a wider audience through high-quality print production. The engraving captures the fluid lines and dynamic energy characteristic of Rubens, translated into the monochromatic medium of print. The coat of arms at the base of the print identifies the publisher, John Boydell, who was instrumental in the development of the British print trade during the eighteenth century. This piece offers a clear example of the collaborative nature of printmaking, where the engraver acts as a conduit for the original painter's vision, ensuring the survival of the composition in a new, portable format.