Artwork
A Couple Addressing a Gesticulating Young Man
A Couple Addressing a Gesticulating Young Man is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Zacharias Dolendo. It dates from 1596 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Zacharias Dolendo, a Dutch printmaker born in Leiden in 1561, executed the engraving *A Couple Addressing a Gesticulating Young Man* in 1596. The work appears on laid paper and showcases the artist’s reputation for precise line work and compositional balance, hallmarks of his late‑sixteenth‑century output.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents three figures arranged in a triangular format: a man and woman standing together, both dressed in typical Renaissance attire, and a younger man positioned above them, his right hand raised in a gesturing pose. The gesture suggests a moment of communication or instruction directed toward the couple, though no narrative context is supplied.
Technique & Style
Dolendo employs fine cross‑hatching and delicate line modulation to render the textures of clothing, facial features, and the subtle play of light on the paper surface. The plain background isolates the figures, emphasizing the engraving’s meticulous detail and the artist’s command of the Renaissance print aesthetic.
History & Provenance
Active in the late 1500s, Dolendo was known to follow the style of Jacob de Gheyn and to surpass his brother Bartholomeus in technical execution. He commonly signed his plates with a personal cipher, a practice that helps attribute works such as this to his hand.
Context
The engraving reflects the broader Dutch engagement with Renaissance visual conventions, integrating classical dress and compositional harmony. It aligns with contemporary portrait and mythological prints that circulated among collectors and patrons seeking refined, scholarly imagery.
Artist & collection
Artist
Zacharias Dolendo (1561–1601) was a Dutch engraver. He was the brother of Bartholomeus Dolendo, whom he surpassed both in style and in correctness. He was born at Leyden in 1561, and is said by Huber to have been a…
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