Portrait of a Youth after Botticelli, Etching by Leopold Flameng, circa 1875

About this sheet

A young man looks straight out at the viewer in this frank, close portrait. He is shown from the chest up against a plain dark ground, wearing a soft round cap over thick, waving hair that falls to his collar, and a dark tunic closed at the throat with a tied cord, a thin edge of white shirt showing at the neck. The face is broad and smooth, evenly lit, with level brows, steady eyes and a full, closed mouth. There is no setting and no attribute: the whole effect rests on the gaze and the gentle modeling of the face.

The plate is lettered "Masaccio" and "Léop. Flameng" below the image. When this portrait came to the National Gallery in London in the nineteenth century it was believed to be by Masaccio, and even thought to be a self-portrait; it is now firmly attributed to Sandro Botticelli and dated to the early 1480s. The etching therefore records the painting under its nineteenth century name. Léopold Flameng was among the finest French reproductive etchers of his day, celebrated for his translations of old master paintings.

This is an etching of great refinement. Flameng models the face with extremely fine, close lines that read almost as tone, and sets it against a dense, velvety dark background, so the head appears to emerge from shadow. The plate mark is visible around the image.

A strong choice for a modern interior as much as a classic one: the direct gaze and simple composition look striking in a plain black frame on a pale wall.

Condition: Age toning, darker at the edges; handling soiling along the edges and scattered foxing in the margins. Printed image clean.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed. Any framed or interior images are shown for presentation and inspiration only, unless the listing explicitly states that the item is sold framed.