Bust of a Bearded Man (Doge Giovanni Cornaro)
1634
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
About the artist
Artist
Christoffel Jegher
Christoffel Jegher (1596–1652) was a Flemish artist, born in Antwerp.
See the richer artist page1634
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Bust of a Bearded Man (Doge Giovanni Cornaro) is a 1634 by Christoffel Jegher, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This painting shows a bearded man. He looks serious and dignified. The artist made this print from four blocks of wood, which is interesting because it's a complex process. The print is based on a painting, and it's one of the finest examples of a specific printing technique. This technique allows for strong contrasts between light and dark. You can learn more about this technique by looking up chiaroscuro.
Among the finest chiaroscuros of the 17th century are those of Jegher, a professional woodcutter who made prints after designs by Peter Paul Rubens from about 1632 until 1640. Although Rubens had employed engravers to reproduce and propagate his designs from about 1609, he did not utilize woodcut until later. Jegher produced nine woodcuts, including two chiaroscuros, after his images. Bust of a Bearded Man, based on a painting, is printed from four blocks, none of which alone produces the outline of the entire image. The resulting print is very painterly and a masterpiece in chiaroscuro.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Christoffel Jegher (1596–1652) was a Flemish artist, born in Antwerp.
See the richer artist page
