COPPERPLATE ENGRAVING – “A PORTRAIT OF CASPAR NETCHER” from the original painting by Caspar Netcher, and engraved by V. Schultheiss, and published in the mid 1800’s.  The means by which a copperplate is engraved gives it more detail and depth to the picture.  Copperplate engravings are seen as the most perfect means of reproducing a painting or other forms of visual art, thus giving it the most artistic value of any form of engraving.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The actual engraving measures 7 1/2” x 5 3/8”, and is matted to 16” x 20” for easy framing. 

     The Dresden Picture-Gallery is rich in so called cabinet - pictures of the 17^th century, very good specimen of which are those by Caspar Netcher, who belongs to the same class of painters as Terburg.  Like the latter, but sometimes even more elegant in his drawing, he introduces us to the sphere of more refined manners and of deeper feelings, which he delineated with great delicacy and minuteness.  One of his best works may be considered to be his own portrait, painted by himself.  It is, like so many other portraits of artists said to have been painted by themselves, suspected to be spurious, it is true, but still there is an air of inherent probability about it, which appeals to the spectator to believe its authenticity.  The picture represents a calm, handsome face of a youth on the verge of manhood, still retaining the freshness of youth.  The sweet, open, honest, intelligent countenance, with a touch of romance and sentimentality about it, justify the beholder in taking it for that of a true and real artist.  The portrait (signed C. Netcher, 1664) which is distinguished by a great delicacy and a soft and harmonious colouring, represents the artist sitting at his desk, and looking thoughtfully before him, as though he were to find works expressive of his thoughts and feelings.

    There is a peculiar romantic charm connected with the biography of Caspar Netcher, supposed to have been born in Heidelberg, but according to Piles, in Prague, in the year 1639.  His mother, the widow of a engineer is said to have been compelled by religious motives to leave her native place, then to have received hospitality in some castle together with her children, three of whom were starved to death, when the castle was besieged.  She managed to escape from the castle with her younger son Caspar, wandering about helpless and forlorn, until at Arnheim, on the frontiers of Holland, a kind-hearted physician of the name of Tulkens took pity upon both herself and her son.  The intelligent boy soon gained the affection of the doctor, who kept him in his house, intending him for his profession.  However, the boy’s inclination and talents for painting finally induced Tulkens to send him to Koster in Utrecht, and afterwards to Terburg in Denventer, to be instructed by them in the art of painting.  When on his journey to Italy, he met with a handsome girl in Bordeaux, on whom he at once bestowed his heart and hand.  He gave up his journey, and settled in Bordeaux; but by the religious conflicts of those times he was soon compelled to leave France, on account of his being a protestant.  He returned with his young wife to Holland, where in the year 1682 he died at the Hague, leaving a numerous family of children.  Three of his sons also became painters, but only one of them, Theodor, acquired some fame and distinction as a portrait-painter.  The pictures painted by Netcher, the father, in the latter part of his life, show a considerable inferiority in artistic power.  It may be, that by the many orders which he received, or by the necessity of providing for his numerous family, he was compelled to be less careful in finishing his pictures.

                                                                                                By Carl Clauss

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes, which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, and lithographs are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated in the auction, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.

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