H. von Aachen

This is the first revised volume to appear in the new series and it is an unusual one. Whereas in the Netherlands many artists made designs for professional engravers, etchers and woodcutters on a regular basis (such as Maarten van Heemskerck, Maarten de Vos or Hendrick Goltzius) this was less customary in German speaking countries. This volume contains prints after Hans von Aachen and is exceptional in the German series. The reason for publishing the material this way in the case of von Aachen is to clarify how the artistic ideals at the court of Rudolf II were spread around Europe through print­making. Together with Bartholomaeus Spranger Hans von Aachen played a central role in this, as is elucidated by the compiler Joachim Jacoby in his introduction to the present volume. It will come as a surprise to see just how influential Hans von Aachen's portraits have been: they were used as prototypes by portrait engravers until the late seventeenth century. The careful listing of copies and variants of his work makes this apparent.

Hans von Aachen (1551/1552-1615) was one of the leading painters and draughtsmen of late Mannerist art of around 1600. He worked in Italy, Bavaria and Prague for such important patrons as the Jesuits, Wilhelm V, the duke of Bavaria, and Emperor Rudolf II. His designs have been reproduced in prints by the some of the most gifted engravers of the age, such as Egidius Sadeler, Jan Muller, Jan Saenredam and Lucas Kilian. A number of engravings were created in a unique collaboration between Hans von Aachen, the originator of the print's subject and the engraver. Where possible the present locations of the engraver's source images have been given. Portraits, religious images and allegorical themes are the subjects most frequently reproduced after Hans von Aachen. Particular attention has been paid to the often neglected subject of book illustrations. The catalogue of prints after Hans von Aachen which was first compiled in the eighteenth century by Carl Heinrich von Heinecken has been amended. Prints wrongly thought to be after the artist have been removed. Some new attributions have been added. A bibliography of books which include prints as well as several indices and a concordance help the reader use the catalogue.

Published in 1996
Compilers: Joachim Jacoby
Editor: Ger Luijten and Robert Zijlma
ISBN: 978-90-75607-06-2
264 pp.

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