Portret van Quirinus Schacher op 63-jarige leeftijd

About this artwork

plaatrand: hoogte 275 mm x breedte 171 mm

Art Historical Context

Behold Johann Dürr's *Portret van Quirinus Sch op 63-jarige leeftijd (Portrait of Quirinus Schacher the Age of 63), a finely crafted engraving from 1660. 275 mm in height by 171 mm in width this intimate portrait captures the subject's mature visage with remarkable clarity, inviting viewers to ponder the life experiences etched into his features during the vibrant Baroque era. Dürr, a skilled German engraver active in the 17th century, mastered the technique of incising designs into metal plates, inking them, and pressing paper to create durable, reproducible images. Engravings like this were revolutionary, democratizing portraiture by allowing likenesses of noteworthy individuals—such as the 63-year-old Schacher—to circulate widely among scholars, collectors, and the public, far beyond painted originals. This work underscores the cultural role of portrait prints in 17th-century Europe, preserving personal milestones and social status through intricate line work that conveys texture, depth, and character. A charming window into historical self-presentation, it reminds us how art immortalizes the human story.

About the Artist

Johann Dürr · 1600–1663

Johann Dürr (1600–1663) was a German copperplate engraver who worked primarily in Weimar during the mid-17th century, producing prints for court and scholarly patrons during the tumultuous period of the Thirty Years' War. Born in 1600, Dürr's career spanned one of the most devastating periods in German history, when religious conflict and military campaigns brought widespread destruction to German...