1645
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Title Page for Hubert Goltzius's Icones Imperatorvm Romanorvm (Opera Omnia, V) is a 1645 ink by Cornelis Galle I, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows three men in ancient Roman armor standing on a stage-like platform. The central figure holds a spear and a small child, wearing a crown and a draped toga. To his left, a soldier stands with a shield and spear; to his right, a king-like figure holds a scepter and a helmet. Below them, a scroll reads *Icones Imperatorum Romanorum* in fancy Latin letters, and strange sea creatures twist around a broken column. The tiny details—like the crown’s rays and the child’s pose—hint this isn’t just a portrait but a story about power. The Latin text names the book’s artist, Hubert Goltzius, but the engraving itself was made by Cornelis Galle I. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this carved intricate lines into metal.
Cornelis Galle the Elder (1576 – 29 March 1650), a younger son of Philip Galle, was born at Antwerp in 1576, and was taught engraving by his father.
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