Artist: Hieronymus Wierix (Flemish, 1553-1619), after. One of three brothers, all engravers. Child prodigy. Master in Antwerp in 1572, where he remained for the rest of his life.
Engraver: Charles Turner (British, 1774-1857), mezzotinter, acted as the publisher of much of his work.
Title: Portrait of William the First, Prince of Orange. William the Silent (1533 – 1584), also known as William the Taciturn or William of Orange, was the main leader of the Dutch Revolt against the Spanish Habsburgs that set off the Eighty Years' War (1568–1648) and resulted in the formal independence of the United Provinces in 1648.
Signed, Numbered, Titled, and Dated: William the First, Prince of Orange, &c, &c. Shot with a pistol at Delft, July 10th, 1584, by Balthazar Gerards / Engraved by Charles Turner from an original by J. Weirix. / London: Pubd. 1814 by S. Woodburn, 112 St. Martin's Lane. PROOF.
Dimensions: Plate mark 14 1/2" x 10 1/2". Sheet 19" x 13 1/2".
Publisher: Samuel Woodburn (British, 1783-1853). One of four brothers who worked respectively in printselling, bookselling, picture dealing, and frame-making. Samuel specialized in prints and drawings.
Edition: Portraits of Royal Personnages.
Date: 1814.
Materials and Techniques: mezzotint, etching on laid paper.
Provenance: The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965-2000.
Condition: lost corner, foxing, mainly to margins. The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand.
Part of: From a series of 15 copies of early engravings of British persons by Turner, Earlom, and Dunkarton, issued by Samuel Woodburn in book form in 1816.
Museums and Libraries: The British Museum 1857,0214.374.
Art Movements, Periods & Schools: British School XVIII C. Flemish School XVI C.
Note: This entry incorporates text from Wikipedia and the catalog entry of the same item from The British Museum collection.
- Alfred Whitman in his book Charles Turner. London: G. Bell & sons, 1907 doesn't mention a "proof" state. In general, the "proof" is considered the most sought-after kind of impression.