Artwork
Jacques de la Faille
Jacques de la Faille is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hendrick Goltzius. It dates from 1580 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:in oval frame around portrait, in plate: LEGES TVERI, ET PATRIAM DEVENDERE, ARMATVS ADSTO, ET PRO SALVTE CIVIVM. PERIRE FORTIS, SANGVINEMQVE EFFVNDERE. HAC VNA VIRTVS CIVIS, ET BONI DVCIS.; at left of oval frame, in plate: HG; at right of oval fram, in plate: Fe; in cartouche below portrait, in plate: Harman Adolfsz. excudit. Harlem.
About this work
Overview
The 1580 engraving titled Jacques de la Faille is a print by Hendrick Goltzius, a German‑born artist who built his career in the Dutch Republic. Executed when Goltzius was still in his teens, the work demonstrates the high level of skill that would later define his reputation as a leading printmaker of the early Baroque and Northern Mannerist currents.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a single figure, Jacques de la Faille, positioned against an unadorned background. He is attired in period costume that suggests a modest, perhaps civic, status, and the straightforward setting focuses attention on his facial expression and attire, offering a quiet, individualized portrait rather than an allegorical scene.
Technique & Style
Goltzius employs the fine line work and intricate cross‑hatching typical of his early engravings, achieving a delicate modeling of flesh and fabric. The composition reflects Northern Mannerist tendencies toward elegant elongation and decorative detail, while the precise handling of the burin reveals the artist’s early mastery of the medium.
History & Provenance
Created in 1580, the print was likely circulated among collectors and patrons familiar with Goltzius’s emerging reputation. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in several early modern print collections, confirming its presence in the market for decades after its production.
Context
Goltzius’s career unfolded during a period of intense artistic exchange between the German lands and the Dutch Republic. His early training, possibly under established masters such as Cornelis Cort, equipped him with the technical vocabulary that he would later expand, positioning him at the forefront of Dutch printmaking in the transition from Renaissance to Baroque sensibilities.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.
