Portrait of Gaspard Duchange - Nicolas-Gabriel Dupuis

An eighteenth-century portrait engraving of the French engraver Gaspard Duchange, based on a drawing by Charles-Nicolas Cochin.

This engraving, dated 1755, depicts the French engraver Gaspard Duchange in profile. The work is based on a drawing by Charles-Nicolas Cochin, known as Cochin le fils, and executed by the engraver Nicolas-Gabriel Dupuis. The portrait follows the conventions of eighteenth-century French printmaking, presenting the subject within a circular frame suspended by a ribbon, a common motif in commemorative portraiture of the period.

The sitter is shown in a right-facing profile, wearing a periwig with curls typical of the mid-eighteenth century. The artist employs precise hatching and cross-hatching techniques to define the contours of the face and the texture of the wig. The background of the frame features a subtle, wavy pattern that provides a contrast to the smooth, modelled surface of the portrait. Below the medallion, the name 'GASPARD DUCHANGE' is inscribed in clear, formal lettering, while the lower margin contains the attribution 'Dessiné par Cochin le fils' and 'Gravé par N. Dupuis 1755'.

Nicolas-Gabriel Dupuis was a member of the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture and was well-regarded for his technical skill in reproducing the works of other artists. This print serves as a record of the appearance of his contemporary, Gaspard Duchange, who was himself a significant figure in the history of French engraving. The work demonstrates the high level of craftsmanship associated with the Parisian print trade during the reign of Louis XV. The composition is balanced and restrained, reflecting the aesthetic preferences of the era for clarity and formal order. The print is presented on a cream-coloured paper, which retains the texture and character of the original eighteenth-century medium.