Portrait of Bartholomeus Spranger with an Allegory on the Death of his Wife, Christina Muller

Art Historical Context

This poignant engraving, titled *Portrait of Bartholomeusanger with an Allegory the Death of his Wife Christina Muller*, was created in 1600 engraver Aegidiuseler II, likely after a design by the celebrated Mannerist painter Bartholomeusanger himself. Measuring 11 3/4 x 16 9/16 inches, this first-state impression captures Spranger in mourning, surrounded by allegorical figures including angels and symbolic spears, evoking themes of loss, grief, and perhaps divine consolation. The intricate details—rendered through Sadeler's masterful engraving technique—highlight the emotional depth and elegance typical of late Renaissance printmaking. Spranger, a leading Flemish artist who served Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II in Prague, exemplifies Mannerism's elongated forms and dramatic compositions. This work transforms personal tragedy into a public memorial, blending portraiture with symbolic allegory to honor his late wife, Christina Muller. As a print, it allowed wider dissemination of elite Mannerist imagery across Europe, bridging painting and reproductive art. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1938), this rare first state offers visitors a window into 17th-century artistic collaboration and the era's fascination with mortality, making it a gem for contemplating art's role in processing human sorrow.

About the Artist

Aegidius Sadeler II|Bartholomeus Spranger · 1568–1629

Netherlandish, Antwerp 1568–1629 Prague