1586
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Protector Noster Aspice ... is a 1586 ink by Hieronymus Wierix, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a bearded man’s face in the center, wearing a crown of thorns. Above him, two winged figures—likely angels—hold a cloth draped over his head. The background looks like a glowing sky with rays of light. At the bottom, there’s a Latin phrase and the artist’s name. The crown of thorns and the angels suggest this is a religious scene, probably linked to Jesus. The artist used fine lines to create shadows and texture, which makes the faces look three-dimensional. Next, look up engraving to see how artists like this one carved detailed images into metal plates.
Hieronymus Wierix (1553–1619) was a Flemish engraver, draughtsman and publisher. He is known for his reproductive engravings after the work of well-known local and foreign artists including Albrecht Dürer. Together with…
See the richer artist page
