Louis Du Guernier (1677–1716), also anglicized as Lewis Du Guernier, was a Franco-English engraver. Born in Paris in 1677, Louis was probably a descendant of the well-known French artists of the same name. He was a pupil of Louis de Châtillon, and came to England in 1708. He was a member of the academy in

Great Queen Street Great Queen Street is a street in the West End of central London in England. It is a continuation of Long Acre from Drury Lane to Kingsway. It runs from 1 to 44 along the north side, east to west, and 45 to about 80 along the south side, w ...

and gained considerable skill as a designer, etcher, and engraver there. He was eventually chosen one of the directors, and remained so until he died. He was specially employed on small historical subjects, as illustrations to books and plays. In 1714 he was associated with

Claude du Bosc Claude Du Bosc (also spelled Dubosc and DuBosc; –c. or after 1746) was a French engraver, publisher, and printseller who spent much of his career in London. Associated with French contemporaries such as the painter Antoine Watteau and the draf ...

in engraving the battles of the Duke of Marlborough, as he was with the same partner in providing six plates for the expanded edition of

The Rape of the Lock ''The Rape of the Lock'' is a mock-heroic narrative poem written by Alexander Pope. One of the most commonly cited examples of high burlesque, it was first published anonymously in Lintot's ''Miscellaneous Poems and Translations'' (May 1712) ...

that year. Among others engraved by him were portraits of the Duke and Duchess of Queensberry after

Godfrey Kneller Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (born Gottfried Kniller; 8 August 1646 – 19 October 1723), was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to Kingdom of England, English and Br ...

, Dr.

Isaac Barrow Isaac Barrow (October 1630 – 4 May 1677) was an English Christian theologian and mathematician who is generally given credit for his early role in the development of infinitesimal calculus; in particular, for proof of the fundamental theorem ...

Thomas Otway Thomas Otway (3 March 165214 April 1685) was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for ''Venice Preserv'd'', or ''A Plot Discover'd'' (1682). Life Otway was born at Trotton near Midhurst, the parish of which his father, H ...

, and others; also an engraving of "Lot and his Daughters" after

Caravaggio Michelangelo Merisi (Michele Angelo Merigi or Amerighi) da Caravaggio, known as simply Caravaggio (, , ; 29 September 1571 – 18 July 1610), was an Italian painter active in Rome for most of his artistic life. During the final four years of hi ...

, done at the request of

Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax Charles Montagu, 1st Earl of Halifax, (16 April 1661 – 19 May 1715), was an English statesman and poet. He was the grandson of the 1st Earl of Manchester and was eventually ennobled himself, first as Baron Halifax in 1700 and later as Earl ...

, and some plates for

John Baskett John Baskett (1664/5–1742), was the King's Printer for England. His sons, Thomas and Robert, and grandson by the latter, Mark, were also engaged in the press. By purchasing reversion of the King's Printer position, Baskett kept it in the fami ...

's large Bible. He died of smallpox 19 September 1716, aged 39. Vertue says that ‘he was of stature rather low than middle size, very obliging, good temper, gentleman-like, and well beloved by all of his acquaintance.’ However, in the view of Edward Hodnett (English Book Illustration 1988, p. 75) he probably died around 1735.

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External links

Louis Duguernier II
at the British Museum official website {{DEFAULTSORT:Du Guernier, Louis 1677 births 1716 deaths 17th-century French engravers 18th-century engravers English engravers Deaths from smallpox French emigrants to the Kingdom of Great Britain

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