Edelinck, Gérard (1640-1707), Joan of Austria, 1707

Gérard Edelinck(1640 Antwerp - 1707 Paris), Joan of Austria , 1707. Copperplate engraving, 51.2 cm x 29.8 cm, inscribed below the image: "Jeanne d'Autriche Grande Duchesse de Toscane. Fille de l'Empereur Ferdinand 1.er ["er" superscript] & mére de la Reine Marie de Médicis, naquit à Prague en 1547. & en 1565. elle épousa François premier, Grand Duc de Toscane, et mourut à l'age de 32 ans en 1578". Marked lower left with “Rubens pinxit” as painted by Peter Paul Rubens and lower right with “I. M. Nattier delineavit” and “G. Edelinck eques effigiem Sc.” as drawn by Jean-Marc Nattier and engraved by Gérard Edelinck. The print is the third sheet of the series ‘La Gallerie du Palais du Luxembourg’ published in 1710, which reproduces Rubens' Medici cycle.

- Strong impression with minimal creases in the title page

- The luminosity of the print -

The most renowned French engravers of the time were involved in the prestigious gallery work published in 1710. This work depicts Rubens's Medici cycle at the Palais des Luxembourg, and Gérard Edelinck was considered particularly masterful among these engravers. Created in the year of his death, the engraving illustrates how the artist depicted the materiality of the robes, capturing their shimmering effects of light and shadow. The print captivates with its almost diffuse atmosphere, in which the face's clear precision stands out particularly well.

The print exemplifies the creative power and significance of reproductive graphics. Peter Paul Rubens created the exemplary painting, and the highly sought-after court portraitist Jean-Marc Nattier made the drawing from which Edelinck engraved the print. Thus, it is ultimately a joint work by three extremely talented artists.

About the artist

Gérard Edelinck was born in Antwerp and was educated by the Jesuits. He first studied printmaking with Gaspar Huybrechts from 1652 to 1653, and then became a pupil of Cornelius Galle the Younger. In 1666, Edelinck traveled to Paris, where he worked with François de Poilly, Robert Nanteuil, and Philippe de Champaigne. Edelinck's artistic virtuosity was highly regarded, and he was appointed royal engraver by Louis XIV in 1675. He then moved into an apartment in the Royal Tapestry Manufactory. Louis XIV alone portrayed Edelinck thirteen times. Edelinck became a member of the Academy of Fine Arts in 1677 and was knighted in the Order of St. Michael in 1695. His works were coveted collector's items by the 18th century.