Medaillon met het portret van een man ten halve lijve c. 1580

Hendrick Goltzius made this oval medallion portraying a man in the late 16th or early 17th century. It’s made of copper, and the portrait is achieved through engraving. Consider how the choice of material influences the medallion’s appearance. Copper is a relatively soft metal, which allows for fine detail to be cut into its surface. Look at the complex texture that Goltzius was able to create through tiny incised lines; these give depth to the man’s face, and also describe the folds of his clothing. The surrounding text has been carefully etched too. This wasn’t a quick process; each line would have been carefully considered, and slowly carved using specialized tools. In this period, the rise of skilled artisans coincided with emerging capitalist markets. An object like this embodies both the skill of the artist, and the increasing importance of portraiture. The result bridges the gap between art and craft.