Portrait of Jean Niquet at the Age of 56
This print clearly demonstrates Hendrick Goltzius’s talent for portrait engraving. Every virtuoso line, stroke and dot contribute to the almost life-like depiction of Jean Niquet. The portrait must have been commissioned and was probably engraved in a silver plate. For the art lover Niquet, the plate was most likely a treasured object, but not the most important aspect of the commission. The impressions of the print bearing the extensive eulogy were paramount.