Artwork
Ionas
Ionas is an ink print by the Baroque artist Theodor Galle. It dates from 1613 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in plate: 13.; around oval in plate: A Ceto abforptus lateo noctefque diefque IONAS. Tres ventre in pifcis: Niniuen venio.
About this work
Overview
The work titled Ionas is an early‑17th‑century print executed by the Flemish engraver Theodor Galle in 1613. Produced on laid paper, the image is rendered entirely in black and white, employing the linear precision of copper‑plate engraving to depict a solitary figure in a somber pose.
Subject & Meaning
At the centre of the composition stands a bearded man cloaked in a dark robe, his hands adjusting the garment’s collar. His expression is grave, and a faint, almost hidden likeness of a child’s face appears within the fold of the robe, suggesting a narrative or symbolic relationship between the adult and the infant.
Technique & Style
The image was created by incising lines into a metal plate with a burin, a process known as engraving. The resulting fine, cross‑hatching and varied line weight convey texture and depth on the laid‑paper support. Galle’s handling of light and shadow reflects the meticulous draftsmanship typical of Northern European printmaking of the period.
History & Provenance
Ionas was produced in 1613, a time when Galle was active in Antwerp, working within a workshop that supplied prints to a broad market. The print bears Latin inscriptions along its borders and the title at the top, indicating its intended audience among educated patrons familiar with classical or biblical references.
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