Nicolaas Rubens in de kinderstoel - Manuel Salvador Carmona

A refined eighteenth-century engraving by Manuel Salvador Carmona, depicting the young Nicolaas Rubens in a traditional high chair.

This fine art print reproduces the celebrated portrait of Nicolaas Rubens, the son of the painter Peter Paul Rubens, seated in a high chair. The original painting, attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, captures the child with a soft, naturalistic expression, rendered with the characteristic warmth of the Flemish Baroque period. Manuel Salvador Carmona, a Spanish engraver of the eighteenth century, translated this image into a precise etching and engraving, demonstrating his technical mastery in capturing the textures of the child's lace collar, the fabric of the gown, and the wooden structure of the chair.

Carmona was a significant figure in the Spanish Royal Academy of Fine Arts, and his work often involved the reproduction of European masterpieces for a wider audience. In this print, the artist employs a range of line weights and cross-hatching techniques to suggest volume and light. The composition is centred on the figure of the child, who occupies the high chair with a quiet, contemplative presence. The inclusion of the heraldic crest and the formal inscription at the base of the print reflects the conventions of eighteenth-century printmaking, where such works functioned as both artistic records and status objects for collectors.

The print maintains the integrity of the original composition while introducing the distinct tonal qualities of the intaglio process. The soft modelling of the child's face contrasts with the more rigid, linear treatment of the chair and the decorative elements below. This piece offers a glimpse into the historical practice of disseminating art through print, allowing the viewer to appreciate the intersection of Flemish Baroque portraiture and the refined craftsmanship of the Spanish Enlightenment. It is a study in both historical portraiture and the technical evolution of the reproductive print medium.