1721 Copper Engraving Portrait Philippina Welser Ferdinand II Habsburg EUM1

This is an original 1721 black and white copper engraving of "Philippina Ertz Herzog Ferdiandi in Tÿrol erste Gemahlin." This is a portrait of Philippine Welser, of the Welsers of Augsburg, a wealthy family of merchants and financiers of significance in Europe. Philippine was the first wife of Ferdinand II, Archduke of Austria. They were married in 1557 in secret, as the marriage was morganatic since Wesler was not from a noble or royal family. The marriage was only accepted by Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I in 1559, on condition that its secrecy be kept. The children of Philippine and Ferdinand II were not entitled to inherit the Habsburg Dynasty unless the dynastic line was in absolute threat of extinction, and were thus given the name "of Austria," with the sons receiving the title of "Margrave of Burgau," an old Habsburg possession in Further Austria. The portrait is surrounded by a wonderful decorative motif mimicking a frame set against an etched background. The design features two cherubs flanking an urn that rests upon a stylized and grotesque face at the top of the print and a cascading grape vine design framing the remainder of the portrait, uniting at the bottom center of the print.

CONDITION

This 290+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light foxing and aging. No creases. No natural defects.No surface rub.No tears. No water damage. 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, Jewelry, Costume, Holy Roman Empire, Habsburg Empire, Habsburg Dynasty, Habsburg Monarchy, Austrian Monarchy, Spanish Monarchy, Portuguese Monarchy, European Nobility, European Royalty, European History

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