Ludovicus Lavaterus Tigurinus Theol.

About this artwork

verzamelaarsmerk, verso, gestempeld: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

This engraving by French artist Robert Boissard portrays Ludovicus Lavaterus, the noted Swiss theologian from Zurich, during the late Renaissance. Created between 1597 and 1599, the work captures Lavaterus in a formal bust-length format typical of scholarly portraits of the period. The Latin inscription in the title underscores his identity as a prominent religious thinker amid the Reformation’s intellectual exchanges across Europe. As an engraving measuring just 141 by 107 millimeters, the piece exemplifies the medium’s growing importance in the sixteenth century. Engravings allowed artists like Boissard to produce affordable, widely distributable images of influential figures, helping spread ideas and likenesses beyond elite circles. The small scale suggests it was designed for inclusion in printed books or personal collections rather than large-scale display. A collector’s stamp on the verso (Lugt 2228) reveals the print’s journey through centuries of ownership, highlighting how such works have long been valued by enthusiasts of historical portraiture and Reformation-era imagery.

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 ...