Fantasy Portrait of an Old Man in Profile
c. 1610
Medium
Engraving on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
Sheet (trimmed): 20.3 × 16 cm (8 × 6 5/16 in.)
Classification
engraving
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
268141
Art Historical Context
Created around 1610 by Dutch engraver Christoffel van Sichem I, *Fantasy Portrait of an Old Man in Profile* exemplifies the refined printmaking traditions of the early seventeenth century. Working in a period when engravings served as accessible vehicles for artistic ideas across Europe, van Sichem employed precise burin work on ivory laid paper to capture the subject’s weathered features, flowing beard, and contemplative gaze. The profile format, reminiscent of classical cameos and Renaissance medals, lends the figure an air of timeless dignity while highlighting the artist’s mastery of line ...