Cartouche met in de omlijsting het portret van Hubert Goltzius 1557 - 1559

This cartouche, portraying Hubert Goltzius, was made in 1577 by Joos Gietleughen using engraving techniques. Look closely, and you'll see that the fine lines which define the image are not drawn, but incised into the metal plate. This was a painstaking process, requiring immense skill and control over the burin, the tool used to carve the lines. Once engraved, the plate would have been inked, and then printed onto paper. The design itself is a celebration of Goltzius. The cartouche, an ornamental frame, surrounds his portrait, emphasizing his importance. The overall aesthetic, with its intricate details and balanced composition, reflects the values of the Renaissance, a period that placed a high value on skill, precision, and beauty. The labor involved in creating such a print was considerable, indicative of the value placed on craftsmanship during this era, an era when skilled artisans played a crucial role in disseminating knowledge and shaping visual culture. It’s a reminder that even seemingly simple images carry within them a rich history of skill, labor, and social context.