Portrait of Madame Frédéric Villot

Portrait of Madame Frédéric Villot, executed by Eugène Delacroix in 1833, is a significant and intimate example of the artist’s graphic work. This piece is recorded as an etching, specifically documented in its refined second state. While widely celebrated for his monumental oil canvases, Delacroix was an innovative and dedicated printmaker, utilizing the etching medium to explore immediacy and psychological depth within his subjects, demonstrating his versatility during the early Romantic period.

The sitter is the wife of Frédéric Villot, a close acquaintance of the artist who later curated and compiled the definitive catalogue raisonné of Delacroix’s prints. The work captures a sense of quiet contemplation characteristic of portraiture focused on women in the 1830s. Delacroix employs precise, delicate line work to define the structure of the face and the texture of the subject’s clothing, allowing the contrast between the dark etched lines and the white of the paper to create dramatic highlights and shadows. Unlike formal, commissioned portraits, this representation feels immediate and personal, reflecting the close relationship between the artist and the Villot family.

Created toward the height of his career, this work demonstrates Delacroix’s mastery in translating painterly drama into black-and-white graphic form. The study of women was a recurrent theme for the artist, and Portrait of Madame Frédéric Villot remains a key image within his print oeuvre. Today, the original impression resides in the extensive collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it serves as a crucial reference point for understanding the history of 19th-century French prints. As a notable historic work, reproductions and high-quality prints derived from the museum’s data are often available through public domain initiatives, ensuring broad accessibility to this aspect of Delacroix's genius.