Mercantoris Hanauiensis Vxor
1647
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1647
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Mercantoris Hanauiensis Vxor is a 1647 ink by Wenceslaus Hollar, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of a woman dressed in old-fashioned clothes. She wears a dark bodice with a high collar, a long skirt with vertical stripes, and a white lace ruff around her neck. Her hands are clasped in front of her, and she stands on a simple floor line. The image is an etching, which means it was made by scratching into a metal plate. The lines are sharp and detailed, especially in the fabric folds. Look up etching to see how this technique works.
