Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 10

Father Dominique Parrenin – Jesuit Missionary in China, Portrait by Portier 1790

$284.46
£211.78
€240
CA$391.94
A$436.42
CHF 230.79
MX$5,311
NOK 2,909.16
SEK 2,740.86
DKK 1,827.01

About the Item

Father Dominique Parrenin – Jesuit Missionary in China, Portrait by Portier, c.1790 This fine late 18th-century engraving depicts Father Dominique Parrenin (1665–1741), a French Jesuit missionary who played a significant role in Sino-European cultural exchange. The Latin inscription notes his death in Beijing on 29 September 1741 at the age of 79. Parrenin was renowned for his linguistic skills, diplomacy, and close advisory relationship with the Kangxi Emperor, serving at the Qing court for decades. Engraved by Portier (“Portier sculp.”), the portrait shows Parrenin in traditional Chinese-style dress with a long robe and a rounded cap, blending elements of European and Chinese attire—reflecting the Jesuit practice of adopting local customs to gain cultural acceptance. His long flowing beard, steady gaze, and composed demeanor convey the dignity and intellectual authority for which he was respected. Parrenin’s legacy extends beyond religious work; he was an important intermediary between France and China, contributing to scientific, geographic, and linguistic exchanges. His detailed letters and reports became valuable resources for Enlightenment-era scholars in Europe, offering rare insights into Qing-era China. The composition is framed within a fine engraved border, with the biographical inscription contained in an ornamental cartouche. This type of portrait was commonly included in historical and missionary publications of the late 18th century, honoring distinguished Jesuits and recording their contributions to the Society of Jesus’s global mission. Condition report: Very good condition with a visible plate mark, light toning in the margins, and a few faint foxing spots. Strong, sharp impression with excellent preservation of engraved detail. Framing tips: Best presented in a dark wood or black frame with an off-white archival mat to accentuate the contrast of the engraving. A narrow gilt slip could add a refined highlight. Technique: Engraving Maker: Portier, France, c.1790
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 7.88 in (20 cm)Width: 4.93 in (12.5 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.2 mm)
  • Materials and Techniques:
    Paper,Engraved
  • Place of Origin:
  • Period:
  • Date of Manufacture:
    circa 1790
  • Condition:
    Condition report: Very good condition with a visible plate mark, light toning in the margins, and a few faint foxing spots. Strong, sharp impression with excellent preservation of engraved detail.
  • Seller Location:
    Langweer, NL
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: BG-14078-91stDibs: LU3054346210522

More From This Seller

View All
Reverend Père Antoine Verjus – French Jesuit Missionary Portrait, c.1790
Located in Langweer, NL
Reverend Père Antoine Verjus – French Jesuit Missionary Portrait, c.1790 This antique engraving depicts the Reverend Père Antoine Verjus, a notable French Jesuit missionary, in a fi...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Prints

Materials

Paper

Jesuit Missionary in the Indies – Antique French Engraving by Portier, c.1790
Located in Langweer, NL
Jesuit Missionary in the Indies – Antique French Engraving by Portier, c.1790 This fine antique engraving, titled “Missionnaire de la Compagnie de Jésus aux Indes,” portrays a Jesui...
Category

Antique Late 18th Century French Prints

Materials

Paper

Antique Print of a Jesuit Missionary in China, 1845
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Jesuite Missionnaire a la Chine'. Print of a Jesuit Missionary in China. This print originates from 'Histoire et Costumes des Ordres Religieux'. Artists and ...
Category

Antique 19th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Original Hand-Colored Antique Print of a Jesuit Missionary in China, 1845
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique print titled 'Jesuite Missionnaire a la Chine'. Print of a Jesuit Missionary in China. This print originates from 'Histoire et Costumes des Ordres Religieux'. Artists ...
Category

Antique 1840s Prints

Materials

Paper

Antique Portrait of Johannes Texelius, Pastor at Rotterdam, circa 1770
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique portrait titled 'D. Joh. Texelius A.L.M. Eccl. Rotterod. Pastor et in Athenaeo Ibid. Ss. Theol. ling. gr. et eloq. Professor. Nat. A. LXXXII'. Portrait of Johannes Texelius, ...
Category

Antique 18th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

Antique Portrait of Constantinys Suyskenus, Belgian Hagiographer
Located in Langweer, NL
Antique portrait titled 'P. Constantinus Suyskenus'. Old print of Constantinys Suyskenus, Belgian hagiographer and church historian. This print most likely originates from a volume o...
Category

Antique 18th Century Prints

Materials

Paper

You May Also Like

The Patriarch Siro - Etching by Giuseppe Capparoni - 1828
Located in Roma, IT
The Patriarch Siro  is an Artwork realized in 1828 by the Engraver, Giuseppe Capparoni (Rome 1800- 1879). Etching hand colored on ivory paper. Signed on plate and dated on the right...
Category

1820s Modern Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Armenian Bishop - Etching by Giuseppe Capparoni - 1828
Located in Roma, IT
Armenian Bishop is an Artwork realized in 1828 by the Engraver, Giuseppe Capparoni (Rome 1800- 1879). Etching hand colored on ivory paper. Signed on plate and dated on the right mar...
Category

1820s Modern Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

Sir Thomas Smyth, portrait engraving, c1820
By Jacobus Houbraken 1
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
Copper-line engraving by Jacobus Houbraken (1698-1780) after Holbein. Houbraken was a Dutch engraver famous for his series of portraits of famous English historical figures with elaborate cartouches. Originally published 1739, this impression c1820. 360mm by 230mm (platemark) Sir Thomas Smythe...
Category

Early 19th Century Renaissance Portrait Prints

Materials

Engraving

Portrait - Original Etching by Johann Caspar Lavater - 1810
Located in Roma, IT
Portrait is an original artwork realized by Thomas Trotter (1748 - 1827). Original Etching from "Essays on Physiognomy, Designed to promote the Knowledge and the Love of Mankind", ...
Category

1810s Old Masters Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching

William Woollett, engraver, late 18th century artist portrait engraving print
Located in Melbourne, Victoria
William Woollett, Engraver Proof before letters. Etching by Francesco Bartolozzi after Thomas Hearne, 1795. Wove paper. William Woollett (1735-85) was an important English 18th cen...
Category

Late 18th Century Naturalistic Portrait Prints

Materials

Engraving, Etching

Greek Bishop - Etching by Giuseppe Capparoni - 1828
Located in Roma, IT
Greek Bishop is an Artwork realized in 1828 by the Engraver, Giuseppe Capparoni (Rome 1800- 1879). Etching hand colored on ivory paper. Signed on plate and dated on the right margin...
Category

1820s Modern Portrait Prints

Materials

Etching