Thomas de Leu, designer

The fine manner pf engraving spread quickly outside of the Netherlands, as the demand for portrait engravings became a mainstay of the engraver’s art. In France and England, where the cult of the portrait was particularly strong, the fine manner was the predominant style for several decades. Though laborious, it responded well to the textures of rich and shiny fabrics and to individualized facial features.

Guillaume le Gangneur (1553–1624) was an author, writing instructor, and writing secretary to Henry IV. Both the middle bourgeoisie and the highest nobility had their portraits made by engravers as they rose through the ranks or solidified their place in society.