Graaf Willem II van Holland 1586 - 1587

This engraving of Graaf Willem II van Holland, dating from around 1600, was made by Hendrick Goltzius, a master of the Dutch printmaking tradition. The image wasn't drawn, but was instead built from precise cuts into a copper plate, then inked and printed. Look closely, and you’ll see how the figure emerges from a dense network of hatched lines. The crispness of the printed line gives the image a striking clarity, and the gradations of light and shadow, created by the density of the engraving, give the two-dimensional image a sculptural effect. Goltzius was a virtuoso engraver, but this wasn’t just technical display. The print medium allowed images to be reproduced and disseminated widely, a key aspect of the era’s culture of information and exchange. By mastering the techniques of printmaking, Goltzius could spread his imagery far and wide, contributing to the formation of public opinion and the construction of historical memory. This small-scale print embodies the monumental weight of history.