Artwork
Two Figures in Costume
Two Figures in Costume is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Velde, Jan van de, II. It dates from 1617 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Jan van de Velde II’s print Two Figures in Costume is an etching dated 1617. Executed in the Dutch Golden Age, the work presents a pair of costumed figures rendered in the delicate linear quality typical of early‑17th‑century printmaking. The artist, known for animal, landscape and still‑life images, worked within a family workshop that included his father and his son.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features a man on the left and a woman on the right, each dressed in period attire. The male figure wears a broad‑brimmed hat, a loose coat and boots, and holds an object in his left hand. The female figure is shown with a ruffled collar, a cloak, a halo‑like circle above her head, and a small object clasped in her right hand, suggesting a possible allegorical or theatrical role.
Technique & Style
Van de Velde employed the etching process, incising fine lines into a copper plate to capture the intricate folds of fabric and the texture of the costumes. The resulting prints display a crisp, linear clarity that aligns with the Renaissance‑inspired aesthetic of precise detail and controlled shading, a hallmark of his printmaking practice.
History & Provenance
Created in 1617, the print belongs to the early phase of van de Velde’s career, when he was consolidating his reputation as a printmaker alongside his work in painting. The piece has circulated among collections of Dutch Golden Age prints and is documented in several catalogues of the van de Velde family’s output.
Context
During the early 17th century, Dutch artists frequently produced costume studies for both decorative purposes and as references for theatrical productions. Two Figures in Costume reflects this trend, offering a snapshot of contemporary dress and the broader interest in genre scenes that characterized the period’s visual culture.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Jan van de Velde the younger (1593 – c. 1 November 1641) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and printmaker, mostly of animal, landscape and still-life subjects. He was the son of Jan van de Velde the Elder and the father of…
