Portret van Johann Marbach

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2228

Art Historical Context

This intimate engraving, created by French artist Robert Boissard between 1597 and 1599, captures Johann Marbach in a dignified portrait format typical of late Renaissance printmaking. Measuring just 138 by 106 millimeters, the work exemplifies the precision and fine detail achievable through the engraving technique, where the artist incised lines into a metal plate to produce multiple impressions. Such prints played a vital role in disseminating images of notable figures across Europe during this period. Boissard’s approach reflects the growing importance of portraiture in documenting influe...

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 ...