Graaf Willem VI 1586 - 1587

This is Hendrick Goltzius’s engraving, "Graaf Willem VI," made sometime around the late 16th century. The figure’s back faces us. He looks off to the side. The engraving style presents a fascinating interplay of textures and shapes that demand closer inspection. Notice how Goltzius uses dense, rhythmic lines to mimic the reflective sheen and rigid texture of the armor. The cape drapes and billows, and the intricate patterns on his shield play with light and shadow to suggest depth and form. The use of line is not just descriptive, it articulates volume, texture, and even weight, transforming a flat surface into an illusion of three-dimensionality. This attention to the materiality and form of the figure’s attire moves beyond simple representation. Goltzius prompts us to consider how clothing and adornment shape our perception of the individual. It’s a study in surfaces, where the exterior might be read as a signifier of status, identity, and perhaps even the constructed nature of the self.