Head of a muscular old man in profile to left with flowing hair
Original title: Head of a muscular old man in profile to left with flowing hair
kurzbeschreibung
Wenceslaus Hollar made this etching between 1644 and 1652. It shows the head and bare torso of a bearded, powerful old man in profile facing left. The sheet is trimmed to the plate mark and measures 7 × 5.4 cm. Inscriptions name Leonardo da Vinci as the model and Hollar as the etcher.
Description
A bearded, muscular man appears in profile to the left, his torso unclothed. Curling, flowing hair falls across his face. The backdrop stays plain: horizontal strokes suggest light and shade. At upper left is the handwritten 'Leonardo da Vinci', at upper right 'W. Kollar fecit'. The strokes are detailed and precise; their careful direction brings out light and shadow clearly.
Context
Hollar, a Bohemian printmaker of the first half of the seventeenth century, was known for his detailed etchings and worked in England between 1644 and 1652. The inscription 'Leonardo da Vinci' suggests that the design goes back to a drawing or painting by Leonardo. This points to Hollar's practice of reproducing works by old masters. Only one state of the etching is known; it probably appeared as part of a series or as a single sheet.
Impact
Precise lines render musculature and flowing hair in fine detail. The plain background draws the eye to the sitter's expressive physiognomy. Anatomical study and artistic interpretation combine into an intense, almost monumental effect, despite the small size of the sheet.
Technique
This is an etching, known in only one state. Fine, precise lines were bitten into a copper plate and then printed. Shadows arise from varying density and direction of the hatched strokes, which strengthens the sculptural effect of the head.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)