Artwork
Hosiah
Hosiah is an ink print by the Baroque artist Theodor Galle. It dates from 1613 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
The work is a black‑and‑white engraving on laid paper, executed in 1613 by the Flemish printmaker Theodor Galle. It presents a solitary male figure within an oval composition, rendered entirely with line rather than tone.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait depicts a bearded man with curly hair, his expression solemn and his hands placed on his knees. He is dressed in a high‑collared robe, suggesting a status of learning or clerical office, though no identifying attributes are provided.
Technique & Style
Galle employs a network of fine, intersecting lines to model the facial wrinkles, hair texture, and the drapery’s folds. The precise linear rendering and the smooth, unadorned background are characteristic of early 17th‑century Northern European engraving.
History & Provenance
Created in 1613, the print forms part of Theodor Galle’s output during his early career in the Southern Netherlands. It has survived on laid paper, a common support for prints of the period, and is catalogued among his portrait engravings.
Artist & collection
