Hans Witdoeck

Hans Witdoeck, a painter, engraver and publisher of engravings, began his apprenticeship in Antwerp under Lucas Vorsterman in about 1630. As of 1631 he was registered with the local guild as an “enlumineur, marchand et graveur”. From 1631 to 1633he worked as an assistant to Cornelis Schut and was employed as a reproductive engraver for Peter Paul Rubens starting in 1635. While Witdoeck is among the lesser known Rubens engravers and his premature death limited his output as a printmaker, the present Elevation of the Cross occupies a preeminent place within the corpus of reproductive printmaking after Rubens.

This early masterpiece made by Rubens around 1609/10, which has remained in Antwerp Cathedral ever since its completion, has been superbly engraved by Witdoeck in reverse. The virtuosity he demonstrates in conveying the dramatic distribution of the light, the different textures and the flesh tints is breathtaking and illustrates the artistic heights reached by the reproductive engravers of the Rubens school. Given the sheer size of the engraving, only a few complete impressions have survived. Hollstein records impressions in Amsterdam, Cambridge, Coburg, Dresden, Haarlem, Copenhagen, London, Paris and Stuttgart. A superb, contrasting and even impression with margins. Minor ageing, otherwise in excellent condition.

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