Visit to A. Roelants

Art Historical Context

This etching, created in 1650 by the celebrated Bohemian artist Wenceslaus Hollar, captures a formal visit to Alexander Roelants by Lamoral Claudius Franz, Count of Thurn and Taxis. The scene unfolds before a grand palace, where soldiers on horseback carry flags and weapons, evoking the ceremonial processions common among European nobility in the mid-seventeenth century. Hollar, renowned for his meticulous topographical and documentary style, rendered the event with remarkable precision, highlighting the architectural details of the palace alongside the lively military entourage. Executed as an etching in only one state, the print measures just under ten by sixteen inches and exemplifies Hollar’s mastery of the medium. His fine lines and careful shading bring depth to the horses, banners, and figures, transforming a specific historical moment into an enduring visual record. Acquired by the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Rogers Fund in 1920, the work offers modern viewers a vivid glimpse into the rituals and pageantry of seventeenth-century aristocratic life.

About the Artist

Wenceslaus Hollar|Lamoral Claudius Franz, Count of Thurn and Taxis|Alexander Roelants · 1607–1677

Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) was a prolific Bohemian etcher who became one of the most accomplished printmakers of the seventeenth century. Born in Prague, he trained under Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt before entering the service of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, in 1636. Hollar spent most of his career in England, where he produced approximately 2,740 etchings documenting an extraordinary range...