Artwork
Opificis Parisiensis Vxor
Opificis Parisiensis Vxor is an ink print by the Baroque artist Wenceslaus Hollar. It dates from 1643 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The composition is set against an unadorned ground line that suggests a floor, emphasizing the figure’s presence.
Created in 1643, Opificis Parisiensis Vxor is an etching by the Czech-born printmaker Wenceslaus Hollar. Executed on a metal plate and printed in monochrome, the image presents a solitary woman in a vertically striped dress, her hands placed on a belt and a small object held in one hand. The composition is set against an unadorned ground line that suggests a floor, emphasizing the figure’s presence.
Subject & Meaning
The work portrays a standing female figure, likely intended as an allegorical or genre representation rather than a portrait of a specific individual. Her attire, a long dress with vertical ribs and a puffed‑sleeved bodice, reflects contemporary fashion, while the small object she grasps remains unidentified, inviting speculation about its symbolic role within the scene.
Technique & Style
Hollar employed the traditional etching process, drawing directly onto a copper plate with an acid‑resistant ground. The artist’s line work is crisp and precise, capturing fine details of fabric texture and the figure’s posture. The stark black‑and‑white palette and the minimal background are characteristic of Hollar’s meticulous approach to rendering form and surface.
History & Provenance
Wenceslaus Hollar (1607–1677) spent much of his professional life in England after relocating from Prague, gaining renown for cityscapes and topographical prints. Opificis Parisiensis Vxor dates from the middle of his career, illustrating his command of the etching medium during the mid‑17th century. The print’s later ownership records are sparse, but it remains associated with collections of Hollar’s oeuvre.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Wenceslaus Hollar (Czech: Václav Hollar (Czech pronunciation: ), German: Wenzel Hollar; 23 July 1607 – 25 March 1677) was a Czech engraver, etcher and painter.
