Demarteau After Boucher, Pair Of Crayon-style Engravings - Portraits Of Women, 18th Century

A pair of engravings "in the style of crayon," portraits of young women after François Boucher, by Demarteau, engraver to the King. These are the 15th print (No. 249) and the 16th print (No. 250). Both bear the inscription "in Paris at Demarteau's, engraver to the King, rue de la Pelterie à la Cloche." A fine 18th or 19th-century impression presented in Louis XVI-style beaded frames of carved and gilded wood, mounted with "Marie-Louise" painted in wash. The crayon style is an engraving technique developed in the 18th century to imitate the appearance of drawings in crayon, sanguine, or black chalk. It relies on the use of etching and stippling, sometimes enhanced with roulette and overprinting in several tones. Gilles Demarteau (1722–1776), engraver to the King, was one of the undisputed masters of this technique. Before the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, he declared in 1757 that he had found "a means capable of perpetuating the drawings of the great masters and multiplying examples of the finest drawing styles." A beautiful, fresh, and elegant set, ideal for complementing an 18th-century décor. Good overall condition; the giltwood frames have been cleaned by our gilder. Frame dimensions: 39.4 x 33.5 cm