1637
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Title Page for Justus Lipsius, Opera Omnia, I is a 1637 ink by Cornelis Galle I, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a man with a beard and a wreath on his head, framed by an arch. Around him float two winged figures—one holding a burning bowl, the other a staff. Below, smaller figures hold tools, a wheel, and a broken column. The scene looks like a mix of celebration and ruin, all packed into a tight, busy space. The man in the center is likely Justus Lipsius, a scholar. The empty space behind him suggests something important is missing—or waiting to be filled. If you like this kind of packed, symbolic imagery, look up engraving.
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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