Copy of La Dame de Profil Ayant les Mains dans son Manchon (The Lady in Profile Having her Hands inside of her Muff), from La Noblesse (The Nobility) 1625 - 1700

This print, titled "Copy of La Dame de Profil Ayant les Mains dans son Manchon," is an etching, meaning the lines you see were incised into a metal plate, likely copper, with acid. The plate would then be inked and printed, transferring the image to paper. Notice the incredible detail achieved through this process. The artist captured the luxurious textures of the lady's garments – the soft fur muff, the voluminous sleeves, and the intricate lace collar. This wasn't just about depicting wealth; it was about showcasing the skilled labor involved in producing these high-fashion items. The print itself is also a product of skilled labor, of course. The artist of this print, of whom we have no information, clearly understood the power of reproduction, and the democratizing potential of printmaking. By creating multiples of this fashionable lady, they made her image accessible to a wider audience, blurring the lines between high art and popular culture. So, when you look at this print, consider not just the lady's attire, but also the complex social and economic forces at play in its creation and consumption.