Portret van Hendrick Goltzius op 59-jarige leeftijd 1630

This is a print made in 1617 by Jacob Matham, portraying Hendrick Goltzius at 59 years old. It was produced in the Netherlands, a region then experiencing a boom in artistic innovation fuelled by economic growth and relative social mobility. Prints like this served to enhance an artist’s reputation, circulating their image and skills beyond the local community. We can see this as part of a broader shift in the function of art. No longer confined to religious or aristocratic circles, art began to play a new role in shaping public identity. The Latin inscription around the portrait, ‘PICTOR ET SCULPTOR’, translates to ‘Painter and Sculptor’ - reinforcing his mastery in both fields. The cartouches at the top and bottom, along with the detailed ornamentation, reflect the elaborate style popular at the time. Understanding the visual codes of the period - the language of portraiture, the status of the artist, the role of printing - allows us to appreciate the complex negotiation between individual talent, social aspiration and institutional recognition that defined the art world of the Dutch Golden Age. Catalogues of prints and biographies of artists are useful tools here.