Featured Les Images Presque de Tous les Empereurs by Hubert Goltzius (Antwerp - 1559)

I’m excited to share a new addition to my collection: Les Images Presque de Tous les Empereurs, printed in Antwerp in 1559 by Gilles Coppens van Diest. This impressive work by Hubert Goltzius is dedicated to King Philip II of Spain and features detailed portraits of Roman emperors, from Julius Caesar to Charles V. This book was printed from 1557 on in several languages: Latin, Spanish, Italian, German and French (my copy).

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About the Book
Goltzius was renowned for his expertise in numismatics and his ability to reproduce ancient coin portraits with exceptional accuracy. This book is a great example of his talent, with beautiful reproductions of coins showing the faces of various Roman emperors. The portraits are rendered using the chiaroscuro technique, which adds depth and dimension to the images. Most of the portraits seem to have been printed using two colors, highlighting the contrast between light and shadow, while the title page is printed in three colors—black, yellow, and red—demonstrating a complex polychrome printing process.

Chiaroscuro Technique in the Portraits
What makes this book particularly fascinating is Goltzius’ use of the chiaroscuro technique, which was not only rare but also highly challenging to execute in printmaking. The two-tone prints create a vivid contrast between the dark and light areas of the portraits, giving the images a three-dimensional quality. Each portrait resembles the original coins with great precision, and the method really captures the majesty of the emperors.

The Roman emperor Augustus

Charlemange

Emperor Ferdinand of the Holy Roman Empire


The Title Page
The title page is another highlight of the book. It’s richly decorated and printed with three colors: black, yellow, and red. The intricate design frames the dedication to Philip II and the elaborate composition showcases the skill of the printer and the artists involved. Multi-color printing was a labor-intensive process in the 16th century, requiring separate plates for each color, which makes this piece even more remarkable.





Final Thoughts
This book is not only a valuable numismatic reference but also an excellent example of Renaissance printmaking techniques. The attention to detail in both the title page and the portraits is astounding, and it’s fascinating to see how Goltzius was able to reproduce such historically significant images with such technical precision.

If you have any insights on Goltzius’ work or this edition, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

 

Very impressive, EL, and congratulations!

 

I really love the style of the portraits. The detail of them and the title page is really fantastic! What an amazing edition to your collection!

 

Book, as Art !
Wonderful .....

 

Very nice. Are you acquainted with this?

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Promptuarii_Iconum_Insigniorum

 

What a cool book! Thank you for sharing!

1. I have a book in my collection with similar portraits (see my avatar) from a bit later (1611). It is written by Petrus Opmeer and printed in Antwerp.

 

I tried to find some matching coins, just to see if it fits.