Sarah, from The Wives of the Patriarchs

Art Historical Context

**Sarah, from *The Wives of the Patriarchs*** Jacob Matham, 1597 Engraving on laid paper, Sheet (trimmed): 21.6 × 15.6 cm Step into the world of late 16th-century Dutch printmaking with Jacob Matham's exquisite engraving of *Sarah, from The Wives of the Patriarchs*. Created in 1597, this intimate work depicts Sarah, the biblical wife of Abraham, as part of a series celebrating the matriarchs of the Old Testament. Matham, a skilled Haarlem engraver and pupil of the Mannerist master Hendrick Goltzius, captures her poised elegance amid a time when religious imagery flourished in the Protestant Netherlands, blending devotion with artistic virtuosity. Engraved on laid paper—a textured, handmade sheet typical of the era—this print showcases Matham's mastery of intaglio techniques. Fine lines and cross-hatching build depth and texture, allowing subtle shading to convey Sarah's dignified presence. At just over 21 cm tall, its trimmed format made it accessible for collectors, reflecting the growing popularity of affordable reproductive prints that disseminated biblical narratives to homes and scholars. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, this piece highlights the cultural reverence for patriarchal stories during the Dutch Revolt era. Matham's precise burin work not only preserves sacred history but also exemplifies the transition from Mannerism to the emerging naturalism of the Dutch Golden Age, inviting visitors to appreciate the power of small-scale storytelling.

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 ...