Sophocles
Original title: Sophocles
kurzbeschreibung
Paulus Pontius engraved this portrait of the ancient tragedian Sophocles in 1638, working from a drawing by Peter Paul Rubens. It stands as a characteristic example of Baroque portrait engraving.
Description
Sophocles is shown in profile. A narrow band holds back his hair, and his beard is thick and wavy. A simple garment is visible at the shoulder. The dark, textured background makes the head stand out. Light falling from the left models the facial features and surfaces. At the bottom edge, the name and attribution are inscribed.
Context
The portrait was made in Antwerp in 1638. There Pontius worked as an engraver in Rubens's workshop, and Rubens supplied the drawing. Portraits of famous ancient figures were highly popular in the Baroque era and often appeared in scholarly works or collections.
Impact
The side lighting and the dark, textured background give the head a monumental, dignified presence. The precise rendering of beard and garment lends the image an almost sculptural quality. Sophocles thus appears as a timeless figure.
Technique
An engraving: lines are cut into a copper plate and then printed. The various shades of gray come from different depths and densities of line. The print was made on paper; the plate measures 30.6 x 22 cm.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)