Hendrick Goltzius

Art Historical Context

Behold the striking portrait engraving *Hendrick Goltzius* by Jacob Matham, created in 1618 and subtly altered in 1620. This intimate work captures the renowned Dutch engraver and painter Hendrick Goltzius, Matham's mentor and stepfather, rendered with remarkable precision on laid paper. Measuring just 21.4 × 12.7 cm (trimmed), it exemplifies the portable artistry of prints from the Dutch Golden Age, now housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings department. Matham, a skilled engraver trained in Goltzius's Haarlem workshop, masterfully emulates his teacher's "swelling line" technique—a hallmark of Mannerist printmaking where lines thicken and taper to mimic the fluidity of drawing. Engraving, involving incised copper plates inked and pressed onto paper, allowed for detailed reproductions that spread artists' fame across Europe. This portrait, likely produced posthumously after Goltzius's death in 1617, honors his legacy as a bridge between Mannerism and emerging Baroque styles. The 1620 alterations suggest meticulous refinement, perhaps to enhance fidelity or correct imperfections—a testament to the era's dedication to technical excellence. For visitors, this print offers a window into 17th-century artist networks, where such images functioned as visual biographies, celebrating genius in an age of innovation.

About the Artist

Jacob Matham · 1571–1631

**Jacob Matham: Master Engraver of Haarlem** Jacob Matham was born on October 15, 1571, in Haarlem, in the Northern Netherlands, into a burgeoning artistic milieu. Following his father's early death, his mother married the renowned painter and engraver Hendrick Goltzius in 1579, who adopted the young Jacob and trained him rigorously in the workshop as his stepson and pupil. Matham's first signed ...