Weceslaus Hollar
Medium
Etching; second state of five
Dimensions
Plate: 6 5/16 × 4 1/2 in. (16 × 11.4 cm) Sheet: 6 9/16 × 4 11/16 in. (16.6 × 11.9 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Carl J. Ulmann, 1924
Accession Number
24.57.4
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
About this artwork
Wenceslaus Hollar created this self-portrait etching in 1649, presenting himself with the professional dignity and technical mastery that had established him as England's preeminent printmaker. The print, showing the second state of five, demonstrates Hollar's meticulous approach to his craft, refining the image through successive states to achieve desired effects. By 1649, Hollar had weathered considerable challenges: he had arrived in England in 1636 under aristocratic patronage, only to see h...
Art Historical Context
In 1649, Wenceslaus Hollar etched this self-portrait, the second state of five, capturing his image with the quiet dignity of a master craftsman. Measuring just over 6 by 4 inches on a modest sheet, this precise etching exemplifies Hollar's technical prowess, refined through multiple states to perfect subtle textures and details. As England's leading printmaker, portrayed himself soberly—clad in professional attire, perhaps with a coat of arms—eschewing flamboyance for the understated humility typical of 17th-century printmakers. Hollar's career had been marked by resilience. Arriving in England in 1636 under aristocratic patronage, he faced upheaval from the English Civil War, which toppled his supporters and brought financial strain. Yet, amid this turmoil in Commonwealth England, he produced thousands of etchings documenting landscapes, costumes, natural history, and portraits, cementing his legacy as a prolific topographical artist. This impression, gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by Carl J. Ulmann in 1924, offers a window into Hollar's mid-career self-assurance. It celebrates the etching medium's intimacy and precision, inviting us to appreciate how one artist's steady hand chronicled a changing world.
About the Artist
Wenceslaus Hollar|Wenceslaus Hollar · 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...