A child blowing bubbles. Engraving by J.G. Wille, 1761, after G. Netscher, 1670 (?).

The print shows a painting belonging to Chevalier Jean-Louis-Antoine le Vaillant de Damery (1723-1803), Knight of the Order of Saint-Louis. In 1757 de Damery decided to make his collections known to a larger public and began to commission engravings after his paintings by different artists; this enterprise was called the "Cabinet gravé" and resulted in more than 100 engravings, including at least two by Wille (Dr. Claudia Nordhoff, 2011, on website of Crispian Riley-Smith, 2014)

The subject plays with bubbles; two rest in a shell. A white rose (?) lies next to his elbows. The painting is in the National Gallery, London, and is currently (1996) described as 'Two boys blowing bubbles': a putto is seen behind the boy shown alone here. It was intended as an allegory on the transience of human life ('homo bulla': man is a bubble) The legend on this print appears to have been added by the printmaker to attract contemporary audiences - a joke about the child's experimenting with bubbles ('the little physicist')

Paris (Quay des Augustins) : chez l'auteur, 1761.

1 print : line engraving ; platemark 19.4 x 16.6 cm

Le petit physicien. A Monsieur Damery. Chevalier de l'ordre Royal Milit.re de St. Louis. D'après le tableau original de même grandeur qui est dans son cabinet. Par son très humble serviteur Wille. Peint par Gaspar Netscher. Gravé par J.G. Wille graveur du roi. 1761

Wellcome Collection 25998i