Laurent Cars

Laurent Cars was an artist active for five decades, with his known professional period spanning from 1710 to 1760. His body of work represented in institutional collections demonstrates a primary focus on graphic arts, encompassing eight prints, one drawing, and one additional work preserved across major institutions.

His output showcases versatility across mythological, religious, and portrait subjects. Notable works include the detailed scene Susanna and the Elders and the evocative mythological study Iris at the Bath. Cars also secured commissions relating to major political figures, exemplified by his portrait of Marie Leszczynska of Poland, Queen of France. His prints sometimes served as frontispieces for large-scale commemorative publications, such as the elaborate Frontispice pour le "Tombeau de John Churchill, duc de Marlborough", which appeared in the collection Tombs of Princes, Great Captains, and other Illustrious Men.

Today, Cars’s museum-quality works are held in leading American collections, establishing his legacy in the history of 18th-century printmaking. His graphic works are preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. The representation of these objects in the public domain ensures that high-quality prints of his historic output remain accessible for study and appreciation.