Serie portretten van vijftiende- en zestiende-eeuwse geleerden

About this artwork

Mogelijk prent uit: Boissard, Jean-Jacques; Bry, Theodoor de; e.a. Bibliotheca sive thesaurus virtutis et gloriae in quo continentur illustrium eruditione et doctrina virorum effigies et vitae (...). Frankfurt: Guilielmi Fitzeri, 1628.

Art Historical Context

This enchanting engraving, titled *Serie portretten vanftiende- en zende-eeuwse gele* (Series of Portraits of Fifteenth- Sixteenth-Century Scholars), was created by Robert Boiss between 1597 and1599. Measuring a modest 139 mm high by 106 mm wide, it exemplifies the intricate art of engraving—a precise intaglio technique where metal plates are incised to produce detailed, reproducible images. Such small-scale prints were ideal for inclusion in scholarly books, allowing widespread dissemination of revered figures' likenesses during the late Renaissance. Likely originating from Jean-Jacques Boissard's ambitious project *Bibliotheca sive thesaurus virtutis et gloriae*, published in Frankfurt in 1628 by Guilielmi Fitzeri with contributions from engravers like Theodoor de Bry, this portrait celebrates the intellectual giants of the 1400s and 1500s. In an era of humanism and scientific awakening, these series immortalized scholars whose erudition shaped Europe's cultural rebirth, from philosophers to astronomers. Boissard's work reflects the period's fascination with *viri illustres*—illustrious men—preserving their legacy through art. Engravings like this bridged art and scholarship, making elite portraits accessible to collectors and readers. Its fine lines capture not just faces but the aura of wisdom, inviting us to ponder the enduring quest for knowledge. A true gem for history lovers!

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 ...