Portret van Christoph Jacob Trew

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

**Portret van Christoph Jacobrew** is a refined engraving by the German artist Gottfried August Gründler, in 1756. a modest 203mm high 150mm wide, intimate portrait captures the likeness of Christoph Jacob Trew, prominent figure of the Enlightenment era. Gründler’s work exemplifies the precision of 18th-century engraving, a technique involving incised metal plates to produce sharp, detailed lines ideal for reproducing scholarly portraits with lifelike accuracy. Engravings like this one played a vital role in disseminating images of intellectuals during a time when botany, medicine, and the sciences were blossoming. The artwork bears the collector’s mark Lugt 2228, a stamp from Frits Lugt’s catalog of marks, signaling its provenance from a notable collection and enhancing its historical allure. This piece bridges art and scholarship, offering visitors a glimpse into the cultured world of mid-18th-century Europe, where portraits honored the era’s thinkers.

About the Artist

Gottfried August Gründler · 1675–1775

Gottfried August Gründler (1710–1775) was a German painter, draughtsman, copper engraver, craftsman, and naturalist whose multifaceted career embodied the Enlightenment ideal of the polymath—someone accomplished in multiple fields who combined artistic, scientific, and practical expertise. Born in 1710 and active until his death in 1775, Gründler pursued artistic work alongside serious engagement ...