Paulus Pontius
Encyclopedia
Biography
Paulus Pontius, an eminent Flemish engraver, was born at Antwerp in 1603, and was instructed in the art of engraving by Lucas VorstermanLucas Vorsterman
Lucas Vorsterman was a Baroque engraver. He worked with the artists Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, as well as for patrons such as Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel and Charles I of England....
; but he improved his designs by the advice and friendship of Rubens, from whose works he engraved many admirable plates. Few artists have equalled him in the correct and faithful delineation of his model; and in the character and expression of his figures he appears to have possessed himself of the mind of Rubens. He was not less successful in the fine portraits he engraved after Van Dyck
Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
, in which he seems to have adapted his style to the particular character of the person represented. His plates are executed with the graver
Burin
Burin from the French burin meaning "cold chisel" has two specialised meanings for types of tools in English, one meaning a steel cutting tool which is the essential tool of engraving, and the other, in archaeology, meaning a special type of lithic flake with a chisel-like edge which was probably...
in a clear, bold style; and, though he did not possess the facility of Bolswert
Boetius à Bolswert
Boetius à Bolswert was a renowned copper-plate engraving engraver of Friesland origin. In his time the paintings of Peter Paul Rubens called forth new endeavours by engravers to imitate or reproduce the breadth, density of mass and dynamic illumination of those works...
, or the delicacy of Vorsterman, his plates will ever be esteemed among the ablest productions of Flemish art. He died in 1658. The following are his principal works:
Portraits after Van Dyck
- Paulus Du Pont, or Pontius, engraver.
- Peter Paul Rubens.
- Jacob De BreuckJacques du BroeucqJacques du Broeucq was a sculptor and architect from Southern Netherlands.Jacques du Broeucq is perhaps best known as the teacher of Giambologna in Antwerp....
, architect. - Jan WildensJan WildensJan Wildens was a Flemish Baroque painter and draughtsman specializing in landscapes.-Biography:Jan Wildens was born in Antwerp in 1586 and at the age of ten was apprenticed to Pieter Verhulst and entered Antwerp's guild of St. Luke in 1604 as a master...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Jan van Ravesteyn, painter, of the Hague.
- Palamedes PalamedeszPalamedes PalamedeszPalamedes Palamedesz , was a Dutch Golden Age painter, and younger brother of Anthonie Palamedes.-Biography:...
, Dutch painter. - Theodoor van LoonTheodoor van LoonTheodoor van Loon was a Flemish Baroque painter.-Life:Theodoor van Loon traveled twice to Italy, from 1602 to 1608 and from 1628 to 1629. He is known as a follower of Carravagio....
, painter, of Louvain. - Theodoor RomboutsTheodoor RomboutsTheodoor Rombouts was a Flemish Baroque painter specializing in Caravaggesque genre scenes of card players and musicians.-Biography:...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Cornelis van der GeestCornelis van der GeestCornelis van der Geest was a spice merchant from Antwerp, who used his wealth to support the Antwerp artists and to establish his art collection. He was also the dean of the haberdashers guild...
, celebrated connoisseurConnoisseurA connoisseur is a person who has a great deal of knowledge about the fine arts, cuisines, or an expert judge in matters of taste.Modern connoisseurship must be seen along with museums, art galleries and "the cult of originality"...
. - Gerard HonthorstGerard van HonthorstGerard van Honthorst , also known as Gerrit van Honthorst and in Italy as Gherardo delle Notti for his nighttime candlelit subjects, was a Dutch Golden Age painter from Utrecht.-Biography:...
, painter, of the Hague. - Hendrik van BalenHendrick van BalenHendrik van Balen was a Flemish Baroque painter.-Biography:Van Balen was born and died in Antwerp. He was a pupil of Adam van Noort and studied art while traveling in Italy...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Adriaen StalbentAdriaan van Stalbemt-Biography:According to Houbraken he was a very good landscape painter, and he decorated these landscapes with various figures and animals in such an ingenious way that he became quite popular. After the siege of Antwerp, his family moved to Middelburg, where he was probably educated. He returned...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Daniel MytensDaniël MijtensDaniël Mijtens , known in England as Daniel Mytens the Elder, was a Dutch portrait painter who spent the central years of his career working in England.-Biography:...
, painter, of Holland. - Gerard SeghersGerard SeghersGerard Seghers , also Zegers, was a Flemish Baroque painter and one of the leading Caravaggisti in the Southern Netherlands.-Biography:...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Simon De VosSimon de VosSimon de Vos was a Flemish Baroque painter of genre and cabinet pictures.-Biography:De Vos studied with Cornelis de Vos , to whom he is not related, from 1615 until 1620. In 1620 he joined Antwerp's guild of St...
, painter, of Antwerp. - Gaspar De CraeyerCaspar de CrayerGaspar de Crayer , sometimes called Gaspard or Caspar de Crayer was a Flemish painter.Crayer was born in Antwerp. He learned the art of painting from Michael Coxcie. He matriculated in the Guild of St Luke at Brussels in 1607, resided in the capital of Brabant till after 1660, and finally settled...
, painter, of Ghent. - Hendrik SteenwyckHendrik van Steenwijk IIHendrik van Steenwijck II was a Baroque painter mostly of architectural interiors, but also of biblical scenes and still lifes....
, painter, of Antwerp. - Gaspar Gevartius, jurisconsult, of Antwerp.
- Nicolaas Rockox, magistrate, of Antwerp,
- Jan van den Wouwer, Counsellor of State.
- Caesar Alexander Scaglia, Abbot of Stophard.
- Gustavus Adolphus, King of SwedenGustavus Adolphus of SwedenGustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
. - Mary de' MediciMarie de' MediciMarie de Médicis , Italian Maria de' Medici, was queen consort of France, as the second wife of King Henry IV of France, of the House of Bourbon. She herself was a member of the wealthy and powerful House of Medici...
, Queen of France. - Francis Thomas, of Savoy, Prince of CarignanThomas Francis, Prince of CarignanoThomas Francis of Savoy was an Italian military commander, the founder of the Savoy-Carignano branch of the House of Savoy which reigned as kings of Sardinia from 1831 to 1861, and as kings of Italy from 1861 until the...
. - John, Count of Nassau.
- Don Alvarez, Marquis of Santa Cruz.
- Don Carlos de Colonna, Spanish General.
- Don Diego Felipe de Guzman, Marquis de Leganez.
- Mary, Princess of Aremberg.
- Henry, Count de Berghe, in armour.
- Sir Balthasar GerbierBalthazar GerbierSir Balthazar Gerbier , was an Anglo-Dutch courtier, diplomat, art advisor, miniaturist and architectural designer, in his own words fluent in "several languages" with "a good hand in writing, skill in sciences as mathematics, architecture, drawing, painting, contriving of scenes, masques, shows...
. - Frederick Henry, Prince of OrangeFrederick Henry, Prince of OrangeFrederick Henry, or Frederik Hendrik in Dutch , was the sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel from 1625 to 1647.-Early life:...
.
Portraits after Rubens
- Philip IV, King of SpainPhilip IV of SpainPhilip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
. 1632. - Elizabeth of Bourbon, his Queen.
- Isabella Clara Eugenia, infanta of Spain.
- Ferdinand, Infant of Spain, on horseback.
- Gasparo GuzmanGaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of OlivaresDon Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel Ribera y Velasco de Tovar, Count-Duke of Olivares and Duke of San Lúcar la Mayor , was a Spanish royal favourite of Philip IV and minister. As prime minister from 1621 to 1643, he over-exerted Spain in foreign affairs and unsuccessfully attempted domestic reform...
, Duke of Olivarez. - Cristoval, Marquis of Castel Rodrigo.
- Manuel de Moura Cortereal, Marquis of Castel Rodrigo.
- The Mother of Manuel, Marquis of Castel Rodrigo.
Various subjects after Rubens
- Susannah and the Elders. 1624.
- The Adoration of the Shepherds.
- The Murder of the Innocents. In two sheets. 1643. Very fine.
- The Presentation in the Temple.
- Christ bearing His Cross.
- The Crucifixion, with Angels, one of whom is overcoming Sin and Death.
- The Dead Christ supported by the Virgin, with Mary Magdalen, St. Francis, and other figures; very fine.
- The Descent of the Holy Ghost.
- The Assumption of the Virgin.
- The Virgin suckling the Infant Christ.
- St. Roch interceding with Christ for the Plague-stricken; very fine.
- Thomyris causing the Head of Cyrus to be put into a Vessel of Blood.
Subjects after various masters
- The Flight into Egypt; after JordaensJacob JordaensJacob Jordaens was one of three Flemish Baroque painters, along with Peter Paul Rubens and Anthony van Dyck, to bring prestige to the Antwerp school of painting. Unlike those contemporaries he never traveled abroad to study Italian painting, and his career is marked by an indifference to their...
. - Twelfth-Night; after the same.
- The Adoration of the Magi; after G. SeghersGerard SeghersGerard Seghers , also Zegers, was a Flemish Baroque painter and one of the leading Caravaggisti in the Southern Netherlands.-Biography:...
. - The Virgin with the Infant Christ and St. Anne; after the same.
- St. Francis Xavier kneeling before the Virgin and Child; after the same.
- St. Sebastian, with an Angel drawing an Arrow from his breast; after the same.
- A Dead Christ, supported by the Virgin; after Van Dyck.
- St. Rosalia, receiving a Crown from the Infant Jesus; after the same.
- The Holy Family; after J. van HoeckJan van den HoeckeJan van den Hoecke , also known as Johannes or Giovanni and van Hoek, van Hoeck, or Vanhoek, was a Flemish Baroque painter and draughtsman. He was born and died in Antwerp.-Biography:...
. - The Entombment of Christ; after TitianTitianTiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio Tiziano Vecelli or Tiziano Vecellio (c. 1488/1490 – 27 August 1576 better known as Titian was an Italian painter, the most important member of the 16th-century Venetian school. He was born in Pieve di Cadore, near...
.