Drie figuurtjes 1635

Israel Henriet created this etching, "Drie figuurtjes," at an unknown date. It depicts three figures on a blank background, two men facing each other, with a woman facing away in the middle. The inscription at the bottom, "Cum Privilegio Regis Israel excudit," tells us that Israel Henriet was granted a royal privilege, likely in France, to produce and sell this image. Henriet was the son-in-law of the famed printmaker Jacques Callot. Like Callot, Henriet produced prints of fashionable figures, military scenes, and court entertainments. This particular print likely functioned as a model for other artists to copy, or as a kind of paper doll for aristocratic children. Prints circulated widely, and these figures offer us a glimpse into the fashions and social customs of the French court. Historians interested in dress, print culture, or the history of childhood can look to images like this to better understand the world of the 17th century.