75/4735 [Portraits. Physionotraces]. Queneday, E. (1756-1830). (Portrait of a man). Circular physionotrace, w. some very vague crayon colouring, Ø 6,3 cm., w. engr. "Dess: au physionotrace et Gravé par Quenedey rue neuve-des-petits-champs no 15 a Paris 1811", in gilt wooden frame. - AND 1 similar handcol. physionotrace by another(?) (framed).

= In these rare physionotraces an engraved profile portrait was made with the use of the light of a lamp, which cast the profile of a sitter onto a glass plate, from where it was copied by a mechanical engraving apparatus onto a copper plate. Because of their realism, physionotraces are seen as precursors of photographs. The etching of the lady has an old annotation in pencil identifying(?) her as "Rochebrune".