Portret van Johann Fichard

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

**Portrait of Johann Fichard***Robert Boissard 1597–1599* Engraving, 139 × 109 mm This engraving captures the likeness of Johann Fichard, prominent 16th-century German jurist and humanist scholar known for his antiquarian interests. Created by French engraver Robert Boiss between 1597 and 1599—over 30 years after Fich death in 1567 exemplifies the Renaissance tradition of posthumous portraits that honored intellectuals and preserved their legacies through print. Boissard, active in the late 16th century, specialized in such reproductive engravings, likely based on an earlier painting or drawing, making this work a testament to the era's fascination with classical learning and portraiture. Engravings like this small-scale piece (just 139 × 109 mm) were revolutionary for their time, allowing widespread dissemination of elite images via affordable prints. The intricate lines and fine details showcase the technical precision of copperplate engraving, a medium that flourished in Northern Europe during the Mannerist period, blending realism with elegant stylization. On the verso, a collector's mark (Lugt 2228) from the esteemed Rijksprentenkabinet in Amsterdam underscores its provenance, highlighting how such works were treasured by connoisseurs for centuries. Today, this portrait invites us to reflect on the humanist spirit, bridging the Renaissance's intellectual world with our own through Boissard's masterful craft.

About the Artist

Robert Boissard · 1586–1691

Robert Boissard (c. 1570–after 1630) was a French engraver and draughtsman whose work exemplifies the transition from late Renaissance to early Baroque printmaking in France. Born around 1570 in Valence, Boissard belonged to an artistic family and was a relative of the distinguished scholar and artist Jean-Jacques Boissard (1528–1602), whose monumental biographical and archaeological publications ...