Hermit Saint in the Desert
Jean Honore Fragonard
1752–1806
- Medium
- Etching on ivory laid paper
- Dimensions
- Image: 21.6 × 14.7 cm (8 9/16 × 5 13/16 in.); Plate: 23 × 15.7 cm (9 1/16 × 6 3/16 in.); Sheet: 25.4 × 25.7 cm (10 × 10 1/8 in.)
- Genre
- Etching
- Museum
- Art Institute of Chicago
Tags
printingprintprints and drawingetchingpaper (fiber product)
About
The sole Boucher composition to be etched by Fragonard, this work is known to survive in only seven proofs. Possibly depicting St. Onuphrius of Egypt, a hermit who lived around 400 A.D., Boucher's original drawing is now in the National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa. Since Fragonard made most of his twenty-four etchings during his voyages in Italy (1756-61 and 1773-74), this work is unusual for its early date and French inspiration.
