Portraits of King Louis Philippe & Antoine Philippe d'Orleans, duc de Montpensier 1805

This double portrait of King Louis Philippe and Antoine Philippe d'Orleans, was rendered in pencil on paper. The artist, Antoine Philippe d'Orleans, was himself a member of French royalty. The subtle tonal gradations achieved with graphite create a delicate, almost ethereal quality, softening the profiles of these noble figures. The artist's hand is evident in the meticulous cross-hatching, a testament to the time and skill involved in the creation of this portrait. Consider the social context of portraiture at the time. Commissioned portraits served as tools for constructing and disseminating power. But in choosing the medium of pencil, typically seen as a preparatory medium, and not for instance paint, Antoine creates something that could be reproduced, consumed and circulated, and consumed by a mass audience. Examining the materials and processes used in creating this artwork allows us to consider portraiture as both an object of aesthetic and historical significance.