Artwork
Eleazer Swalmius
Eleazer Swalmius is an ink print by the Baroque artist Jonas Suyderhoff. It dates from 1652 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created around 1652, this copper engraving by Jonas Suyderhoff depicts Eleazer Swalmius in a formal half‑length portrait. The image is rendered in black and white, measuring typical dimensions for a mid‑seventeenth‑century print, and presents the sitter in a dignified pose that emphasizes his status and character.
Subject & Meaning
Swalmius is shown with a long white beard and mustache, clothed in a dark robe trimmed with fur, his right hand placed over his chest. The direct, solemn gaze and the gesture suggest a sense of personal integrity or possibly a declaration of oath, common motifs in portraiture intended to convey moral authority.
Technique & Style
Suyderhoff employs fine cross‑hatching to model the facial features and the texture of the fur‑trimmed garment, creating subtle gradations of tone that suggest depth. The background consists of a plain wall with faint linear indications of a window or doorway, allowing the viewer’s focus to remain on the sitter while providing a minimal spatial context.
History & Provenance
The engraving was produced in the Dutch Republic during a period when portrait prints served both commemorative and commercial purposes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been catalogued in several collections of 17th‑century Dutch prints, indicating its circulation among collectors of the era.
Artist & collection
