Robert Nanteuil specialized in portrait engravings and was the foremost master of this genre in seventeenth-century France. In 1658, he was appointed Dessinateur et Graveur Ordinaire du Roi. This resulted in many depictions of the king, his court, and prominent Parisians.

This print characterizes most of his engraved portraits: a simple oval frame, which surrounds a bust-length figure, rests on an architectural plinth against a ruled background. The simple arrangement of the subject within the space serves to eliminate distraction from the individualized characteristics of the face.

Pierre Poncet de la Rivière was a member of Louis XIV’s inner court and received a title of nobility from the king. He occupied several positions, including Master of Requests in 1642 and Councillor of State around 1680. He may have had claims to become chancellor of France, but his publication of a moralizing text sabotaged his political career.