1721 Copper Engraving Portrait Archduke Albert VII Austria Habsburg EUM1

This is an original 1721 black and white copper engraving of "Albertus Ertz Hertzog zu Österreich und Herr der Burgundischen Länder." This is a portrait of Archduke Albert VII of Austria; Duke of Lothier, Brabant, Limburg, Luxemburg and Guelders; Count of Flanders, Artois, Count Palatine of Burgundy; Hainaut and Namur; husband of the Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia, Governor General of the Habsburg Netherlands, Cardinal and Archbishop of Toledo; viceroy of Portugal, and a Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece, an exclusive order of chivalry. He is identified as such by the neck order, a livery collar, he is wearing in this portrait. Albert VII holds the shortest reign in Austrian history, succeeding his brother Emperor Matthias as reigning Archduke of Lower and Upper Austria for a few short months before abdicating in favor of Emperor Ferdinand II. As Governor General of the Habsburg Netherlands, Albert VII oversaw the Twelve Years' Truce, the cessation of hostilities between the Habsburgs and the Dutch Republic. Following the Truce, the independence of the United Provinces of the Netherlands received formal recognition, making it a landmark of the Eighty Years' War and European history. The portrait is framed by a wonderful decorative motif featuring filigreed designs and a stylized skull with wings at the bottom of the print.

CONDITION

This 290+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine+. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. Light moisture wrinkling - center. Please note: There is a plate impression bordering the image in this print.

• Product Type: Original Copper Engraving; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine+
• Dimensions: Approximately 8 x 13.5 inches; 20 x 34 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

Period Paper is pleased to offer an extremely rare and impressive early eighteenth century collection of biographies and portrait engravings and etchings, produced in Leipzig, Germany in 1721 and 1722. Included are notable monarchs, rulers, religious figures, and members of notable Houses throughout Europe, including several genealogical charts of dynastic lines, spanning the sixteenth to early eighteenth centuries. The collection is comprised of exquisitely engraved and etched copper portrait plates framed by varying decorative motifs, all engraved by Johann Friedrich Rosbach. Many of the portraits include separate biographical pieces ranging in length from a single paragraph to several pages for more notable European monarchs and emperors. If present, the accompanying text is in German and is composed of beautiful woodcut text, with most pages containing elegantly etched drop cap initials, head-and tail-pieces and vignettes. The superb, folio-sized stock upon which the collection is engraved and etched employed the latest advances in eighteenth century paper making and highlights the era's predilection for strong, lightly sized paper with a fine structure and smooth surface. The paper's characteristics are thus similar to Japanese Gampi, and the result is well-preserved and crisp images that exceptionally capture Rosbach's fluid and sharp line work. This collection represents a unique opportunity to collect a valuable part of European history stunningly composed and illustrated.

Keywords specific to this image: Art, Neck Ruff, Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Empire, Habsburg Dynasty, Habsburg Monarchy, Austrian Monarchy, Catholic Reformation, Catholic Counter-Reformation, Catholic Revival, European History, European Nobility, European Royalty, Dutch Independence, Archducal Netherlands

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