In s2e27, hosts Ann Shafer and Tru Ludwig begin a two-part conversation about Claude Mellan, who engraved the most astonishing portrait of Jesus Christ in the history of art. In fact, if it weren’t for his print of the Holy Face on the Sudarium, Mellan may have dropped out of sight. But, he is worth looking at. He brought something to portraiture that is worth noting: a humanity and tenderness that one might think impossible to capture in engraving.

 

 

Sir Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641). Self-Portrait (early state), from the series Iconography, 1628/41. Etching. Sheet (trimmed near platemark): 9 1/2 × 6 1/8 in. (24.1 × 15.6 cm). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Sir Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641). Self-Portrait, from the series Iconography, 1628/41. Etching and engraving. Plate: 9 5/8 × 6 3/16 in. (24.4 × 15.7 cm). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Sir Anthony van Dyck (Flemish, 1599–1641). Lucas Vorsterman, from the series Iconography, 1628–32. Etching and engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 9 5/8 × 6 3/16 in. (24.4 × 15.7 cm). Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Giorgio Vasari (Italian, 1511–1574). Titlepage from Lives of the Artists (2nd edition), 1568.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Self-Portrait, 1635. Engraving. Sheet: 9 x 6 1/4 in. (22.8 x 15.9 cm.); plate: 8 11/16 x 6 in. (22.1 x 15.3 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Delilah Cutting Samson’s Hair, 1618–88. Engraving. Sheet: 7 9/16 x 5 3/8 in. (19.2 x 13.7 cm.); plate: 6 5/8 x 4 1/2 in. (16.8 x 11.4 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Abraham Bosse (French, 1602/04–1676). Portrait of Jacques Callot, c. 1636. Etching with engraving. Sheet: 10 1/4 x 6 in. (26 x 15.3 cm.); plate: 9 3/4 x 5 1/2 in. (24.8 x 14 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Theological Thesis of Antoine Talon, 1648. Etching. Sheet: 20 3/16 x 22 3/4 in. (51.2 x 57.8 cm.); plate: 19 1/2 x 22 1/16 in. (49.5 x 56 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Samson and Delilah, late 1620s. Oil on canvas. 49 3/5 x 69 9/10 (126 x 177.5 cm.). Robilant+Veona, London.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688), after Simon Vouet (French, 1590–1649). Charitas romana, after 1624. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed near platemark) : 374 x 286 mm. National Gallery, Prague.  

Attributed to Simon Vouet (French, 1590–1649). Charitas romana, 1610–88. Oil on canvas. 95 x 73 cm. (37 3/8 x 28 ¾ in.) Artsy.

Simon Vouet (French, 1590–1649). Charitas romana, 1610–88. Oil on canvas. 80 x 63 cm. (31 3/8 x 28 ¾ in. National Museum, Warsaw.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Girolamo Frescobaldi, 1619. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 13.1 x 9.9 cm. (5 3/16 x 3 7/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

[DETAIL] Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Girolamo Frescobaldi, 1619. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 13.1 x 9.9 cm. (5 3/16 x 3 7/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Virginia de Vezzo, 1626. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark) : 250 x 95 mm. National Gallery, Prague.

[DETAIL] Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Virginia de Vezzo, 1626. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark) : 250 x 95 mm. National Gallery, Prague.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Louis XIV as a Child, 1618–1688. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed to platemark): 13 9/16 x 9 1/2 in. (34.5 x 24.2 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Maddalena Corvina, 1636. Engraving. Plate: 11.7 x 8.5 cm. (4 5/8 x 3 3/8 in.); sheet: 12.8 x 9.9 cm. (5 1/16 x 3 7/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Charles I de Crequi, Duke of Lesdiguières, 1633. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 24.5 x 18.9 cm. (9 5/8 x 7 7/16 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Jean Perrault, 1652. Engraving. Sheet (trimmed within platemark): 13 9/16 x 9 7/16 in. (34.5 x 24 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Henriette-Anne d’Angleterre, duchesse d’Orléans, after 1670. Engraving. Plate: 24.2 x 18.6 cm. (9 1/2 x 7 5/16 in.); sheet: 25.9 x 19.3 cm. (10 3/16 x 7 5/8 in.). National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Henri-Louis Habert de Montmor, 1640. Engraving. Sheet: 13 9/16 x 9 3/16 in. (34.5 x 23.3 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Raffaello Menicucci, 1618–1688. Engraving. Sheet: 5 7/8 x 4 1/8 in. (15 x 10.5 cm.); plate: 5 13/16 x 4 in. (14.7 x 10.1 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

[DETAIL] Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Raffaello Menicucci, 1618–1688. Engraving. Sheet: 5 7/8 x 4 1/8 in. (15 x 10.5 cm.); plate: 5 13/16 x 4 in. (14.7 x 10.1 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Claude Mellan (French, 1598–1688). Bust of the Adult Christ, 1652. Engraving. Sheet: 17 7/16 x 12 13/16 in. (44.3 x 32.5 cm.); plate: 17 3/16 x 12 1/2 in. (43.6 x 31.8 cm.). Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

 

USEFUL LINKS:

Sonia Del Re article on Mellan: https://www.gallery.ca/magazine/your-collection/a-familiar-face-unveiling-claude-mellan

Link to National Gallery of Prague' impression of Mellan's Virginia da Vezzo: https://sbirky.ngprague.cz/en/dielo/CZE:NG.R_181069/zoom