Artwork

Portrait of the engravers Pieter de Jode the Elder and Pieter de Jode the Younger

Portrait of the engravers Pieter de Jode the Elder and Pieter de Jode the Younger is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Anthony van Dyck. It dates from 1628 and is held in the collection of the Capitoline Museums.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1628, this oil painting by Anthony van Dyck portrays the engraver Pieter de Jode the Elder alongside his son, Pieter de Jode the Younger. The two sit opposite each other at a table, clothed in dark garments with crisp white collars, set against a muted background that draws attention to their faces and hands.

Subject & Meaning

The work records a familial link within the artistic profession, emphasizing the continuity of craft between generations. By positioning the elder de Jode slightly forward, van Dyck underscores his seniority while still presenting the younger figure as an integral counterpart, suggesting both respect for tradition and the promise of future achievement.

Technique & Style

Van Dyck employs his characteristic Baroque elegance, using a restrained palette of deep tones contrasted with luminous whites to model the subjects. The chiaroscuro background deepens the spatial depth, while the careful rendering of textures—fabric, hair, and skin—demonstrates his mastery of oil paint to achieve a lifelike presence.

History & Provenance

After its completion, the portrait entered the collection of the Capitoline Museums in Rome, where it remains on display. Its presence in an Italian state museum reflects the broader circulation of van Dyck’s work beyond his native Flanders and later English court appointments.

Artist & collection

Artist

Anthony van Dyck

Sir Anthony van Dyck (; Dutch: Antoon van Dijck ; 22 March 1599 – 9 December 1641) was a Flemish Baroque artist, who became the leading court painter in England after success in the Spanish Netherlands and Italy.