Antique Portrait Print-PROBUS-ROMAN EMPEROR-Goltzius-1559

Original chiaroscuro woodcut (with 2 brown tones) combined with a line etching, on a verge type handlaid paper. Additional front and rear bookprint text (French).

Size in cm: The overall size is ca. 21 x 28.5 cm. The image size is ca. 18 x 26.5 cm. Size in inch: The overall size is ca. 8.3 x 11.2 inch. The image size is ca. 7.1 x 10.4 inch.

Antique print, number LIIII. It is titled: ‘Perpetvo Imp C Probo Avg’ and it shows Probus (Marcus Aurelius Probus Augustus, 232-282), the 47th Emperor of the Roman Empire. His reign lasted from 276 to 282, during which he strengthened the borders with the Germanic tribes.

This original print originates from an edition of Hubert Goltzius’ ‘Vivae omnium fere Imperatorum Imagines’. At the time chiaroscuro woodcuts were used in a book for the first time. The first editions of this work were published between 1557 and 1560 in Antwerp by Gilles Coppens van Diest: first in 1557 in Latin, German and Italian, then in French (1559) and in 1560 (Spanish). This is from the French ed. In 1645 a later ed. appeared, with new / different woodcuts made by Christoffel Jegher.

Artists and Engravers: Hubert Goltzius made the designs/drawings and is often credited with etching the portraits in the first editions. Josse Gietleughen of Courtrai made the woodcuts. Hubert Goltzius (1526-1583) was a Dutch humanist author, antiquarian and numismatist. He was born in Venlo, and studied under Lambert Lombard in Liege and later in Antwerp. He settled in Bruges in 1558, and starts publishing several works on ancient numismatics. Christoffel Jegher (1596-1652/3) was a wood engraver born at Antwerp. He worked for Rubens from 1627, and is probably a pupil of Christoffel van Sichem.

Condition: Good, given age. Quite stained around the image, probably from the printing process. A few light creases. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling. Please study scan carefully.

Keywords: ANTIQUE PORTRAIT PRINT-PROBUS-ROMAN EMPEROR-GOLTZIUS

(PCO) A264-23