Portrait of Hendrick Goltzius

Jan Muller’s striking memorial to Hendrick Goltzius, the great Dutch Mannerist printmaker, painter and draftsman, is thought to be based on a lost self-portrait by the artist. Muller set the life-sized bust in a formal architectural setting; an arched alcove decorated with symbols of his mentor’s achievements. Above are large, spread wings, symbolizing fame, in the upper left-hand corner a bust of a Roman emperor and a cornucopia, signaling power and abundance, and at the right lighted torches and trumpets, other symbols of fame. Below is a shield with what has been alternately described as an eagle’s head – from Goltzius’s family coat of arms – or a phoenix – a symbol of immortality. The print itself has no inscriptions, nothing relating to the artist, publisher, or subject, suggesting it was not published until after Muller’s death. Goltzius’s name is only added in the final state.


The engraving was traditionally attributed to Goltzius himself. Although Muller initially modelled his style that of the older artist, here he is in full command of the medium. He uses bold, sweeping lines to indicate the shadowed background and the fur jacket and finer lines to describe the silky texture of the beard and moustache and the intricate curls of the ruff. In an early impression, such as the present example, before any wear to the printing plate, all the lines are crisp and clear, creating a brilliant effect that enhances the impact of the portrait itself