1721 Copper Engraving Portrait Georg Friedrich Von Greiffenklau Vollrads EUM2

This is an original 1721 black and white copper engraving of "Georg Friedrich Churfürst zu Maintz." This is a portrait of Georg Friedrich von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads (also spelled Greiffenclau), Prince-Bishop of Worms from 1616 to 1629 and the Archbishop-Elector of Mainz from 1626 to 1629. The Archbishops of Mainz were Arch Chancellors of the Holy Roman Empire and the most important of the seven Electors of the German Emperor. Traditionally, the Archbishops of Mainz were primas germaniae, a title of honor for the most important Catholic Bishop in Germany; they were the substitutes for the Pope north of the Alps. This piece is accompanied by the original German biographical text printed on a separate sheet and features a decorative drop cap; an exquisite vignette that, irrespective of the subject's dynastic lines, incorporates the heraldic, two-headed Quarter Eagle and the Crown of the Austrian Empire; and a beautiful tailpiece of three figures within an ornate botanical design, holding respectively an anchor, cross, and scepter.

CONDITION

This 290+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine+. 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, Costume, Thirty Years' War, Holy Roman Empire, Catholic Counter-Reformation, Catholic Reformation, Catholic Revival, Catholic Church, Neck Ruff, European Nobility, European Royalty, European History

EUM2C21