Antwerp Devotional Image On Vellum Engraved By Cornelius Galle Le Jeune (1615-1678)

The date of creation of the first pious images is generally located in the 14th or 15th century, but the first images published in large series date from the 16th with the rise of the Antwerp engravers who dominated the world. It is true that the engravers of this time were real artists often working in association with the great painters (Dürer, Cranach, Bruegel the Elder, Bosch...). The engraving was first made in thrift size, on wood and then in intaglio with a chisel on copper. At that time, the engravings included the signature of the engraver (who was often at the same time the publisher). Historians cite the figure of more than 170 engravers in Antwerp grouped together in the famous Guild of St Luke, a corporation bringing together the artistic professions in Flanders, in the Rhine countries and in France. The devotional image that we offer is the work of Cornelius Galle the Younger, born around 1615 in Antwerp and died on October 18, 1678. He was a member of a family of Flemish engravers. Engraving Dimensions: 9.3 cm x 6.8 cm