Eustace Wolowicz, Archbishop of Vilna

Kilian employed a combination of engraving and etching, allowing both crisp, linear details and softer tonal areas. The intricate ornamental border, populated with mythic cherubs and natural motifs, reflects the Baroque penchant for elaborate decoration and dramatic contrast between light and shadow, achieved through dense hatching and cross‑hatching.

Created in Augsburg, the work emerged from the Custos workshop, which Kilian joined after his stepfather’s establishment of the studio. The print was part of Kilian’s broader series of portrait commissions in the early seventeenth century, circulating among patrons interested in documenting ecclesiastical and secular leaders.

The engraving dates to a period when Augsburg’s printmaking industry was flourishing, serving both local and international markets. Kilian’s reputation for anatomical and portrait prints positioned him among the city’s leading engravers, and this portrait exemplifies the blend of artistic skill and documentary purpose characteristic of the era’s visual culture.