A Woman Peeling Pears
Wallerant Vaillant Dutch
Not on view
Vaillant learned the mezzotint technique from Prince Rupert of the Rhine, whom he met and assisted during a visit to Frankfurt am Main in 1658. Active in Amsterdam and Paris, Vaillant became the first professional mezzotint-engraver, whose works achieved success throughout Europe. Here, he presents a domestic scene of his own design, showing a woman (presumably a servant) peeling fruit. As this richly toned plate reveals, Vaillant's mezzotint grounds appear more evenly textured than those of his predecessors.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.