Who painted Caspar Sibelius?

Caspar Sibelius was painted by Jonas Suyderhoff in 1642.

Where can I see Caspar Sibelius?

Caspar Sibelius is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Caspar Sibelius?

Caspar Sibelius is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of Caspar Sibelius?

Museum-quality prints of Caspar Sibelius are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Caspar Sibelius

Jonas Suyderhoff , 1642

Caspar Sibelius is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jonas Suyderhoff. It dates from 1642 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Jonas Suyderhoff’s 1642 engraving titled “Caspar Sibelius” presents a solitary figure rendered in fine line work. The print, executed on a copper plate, measures the typical dimensions of mid‑seventeenth‑century portrait engravings and is signed by the artist. It exemplifies the period’s interest in documenting learned individuals through portable, reproducible media.

Subject & Meaning

The portrait shows a bearded man in a dark, buttoned jacket with a ruffled collar, holding a book in his left hand while his right hand gestures as if addressing the viewer. His direct gaze and solemn expression suggest an intellectual or scholarly identity, emphasizing the importance of learning and personal authority in the era.

Technique & Style

Suyderhoff employs a dense network of cross‑hatching and stippling to model the face, clothing folds, and the book’s volume, creating a sense of three‑dimensionality on a flat surface. The engraving’s background is a uniform gray, allowing the intricate line work to stand out. Such meticulous rendering reflects the high level of skill required for copper‑plate engraving in the Dutch Golden Age.

History & Provenance

Created in 1642, the print likely circulated among collectors of portrait engravings and scholars who valued visual records of contemporaries. While the original plate’s whereabouts are unknown, surviving impressions have appeared in European print collections and auction catalogues, documenting the work’s continued presence in the market for over three centuries.