Portrait of George Sand

Luigi Calamatta|George Sand

1837 · Engraving · Drawings and Prints

George Sand’s publisher commissioned this portrait of the up-and-coming writer in 1834. Its making occasioned the lifelong friendships she maintained with both the portrait’s painter, Delacroix, and the engraver, Calamatta, who required his own sittings from the novelist despite having Delacroix’s painting as a source. The print was eventually published in the literary monthly "La revue des deux mondes" and served as the frontispiece for two of her novels. In turn, Sand based one of the characters in her 1837 book "Les maîtres mosaïstes" (The Master Mosaic Makers) on Calamatta and published commentaries on his work. Her son later married the engraver’s daughter.

Artist

Luigi Calamatta|George Sand

Date

1837

Medium

Engraving

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Bequest of Phyllis Massar, 2011