2009.16.314
John VIII Paleologus (Johannes VII Paleologus)
Artist
Jacques de Gheyn, II (Jacob de Gheyn, II)
(Antwerp, Belgium, 1565 - 1629, London, United Kingdom)
Title
John VIII Paleologus (Johannes VII Paleologus)
Creation Date
ca. 1595
Century
late 16th century
Dimensions
6 3/4 in. x 5 7/8 in. (17.15 cm x 14.92 cm)
Object Type
print
Creation Place
Europe, Netherlands
Medium and Support
engraving on cream laid paper
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Pendexter
Copyright
Public Domain
Accession Number
2009.16.314
Dutch painter and engraver Jacques de Gheyn belonged to a group of artists who overcame the exaggerated and overly artificial formal vocabulary of Dutch Mannerism by adopting a naturalist style based on observation. De Gheyn’s engravings of portrait medals, like this example of Paleologus, indicate his interest in naturalism and demonstrate his ability to accurately reproduce the proportions of his sitters’ facial characteristics. De Gheyn’s engraving of Paleologus closely follows the Pisanello portrait medal. It includes similar features of Paleologus’s profile, including his hat, hair, nose arch, and pointed beard. In addition to the visual similarities, there are also similarities between the media of the works. The production of both medals and engravings involves the application of significant amounts of pressure onto metal. However, the most significant overlapping quality is the reproducible nature of both medals and engravings, allowing for wide dissemination of each portrait.