author
comte Henri Delaborde
1811–1899
A 19th-century French painter who became even better known as an art critic, curator, and historian of prints, he helped shape how French art was studied and preserved. His career bridged studio practice, museum work, and serious writing on major artists such as Ingres.
1 Audiobook
Engraving: Its Origin, Processes, and History
by comte Henri Delaborde
About the author
Born in Rennes on May 2, 1811, Henri Delaborde was the son of General Henri-François Delaborde. He studied painting in Paris with Paul Delaroche and began his career as a history painter, producing large, carefully composed works in the academic tradition.
Over time, he became especially important as a writer and arts administrator. Delaborde served as conservator of the print department at the Bibliothèque impériale, later the Bibliothèque nationale, and earned a reputation as a thoughtful critic and an early specialist in prints and drawing.
He also wrote extensively on art history, including studies of Ingres and Raphael, and was elected to the Académie des Beaux-Arts. He died in Paris on May 17, 1899, remembered not just for his own paintings but for the way he helped document, interpret, and safeguard French artistic heritage.