Portrait of Philippe Mercier - John Faber the Younger

A 1735 mezzotint portrait by John Faber the Younger, depicting the artist and librarian Philippe Mercier in his studio.

This mezzotint by John Faber the Younger, dated 1735, depicts the painter and librarian Philippe Mercier. Faber, a Dutch-born engraver who spent his career in London, was a master of the mezzotint technique. This process involves roughening a copper plate to create a range of tones, allowing for the soft transitions between light and shadow seen in this portrait.

Mercier is shown in a studio setting, holding a palette and brushes while standing before an easel. He wears a banyan, a loose-fitting garment popular among eighteenth-century gentlemen for informal wear. The background features shelves filled with books, reflecting his role as a librarian to the Prince of Wales. The composition focuses on the sitter's direct gaze, capturing a sense of professional composure. The soft, atmospheric quality of the print is characteristic of the mezzotint medium, which was highly favoured in Britain during this period for reproducing oil paintings with tonal accuracy.

Faber's work provides a glimpse into the artistic circles of Georgian London. By documenting figures such as Mercier, who served the royal household, Faber contributed to the visual record of the era's cultural life. The inscription at the base identifies the sitter and his titles, a common practice in portrait prints of the time to establish the subject's status. The print demonstrates the technical precision required to balance the dark, velvety shadows of the background with the illuminated features of the subject. This piece is an example of the high standard of reproductive printmaking that defined the eighteenth-century London art market.