Michel Anguier 1733

Curator: Here we have Laurent Cars' engraving of Michel Anguier. Cars created this portrait in 1753 as his reception piece for the Académie. Editor: It has a somber feel, almost melancholic. The oval frame enclosing Anguier reminds me of a commemorative medallion. Curator: The frame is indeed inscribed with Anguier's name and titles. Consider how the inscription encircles him, almost as a halo, imbuing his image with authority. Editor: That halo is a very visual claim about Anguier's place in the art world. And the way the print mimics a sculpted relief, it's all very self-consciously grand. Curator: Absolutely. It's a visual assertion of status, both for Anguier and, perhaps, for Cars himself, joining the Académie. Editor: I'm struck by how these prints not only immortalize the subject, but the artist's ambition too.