Wenceslaus Hollar, a prolific artist and printmaker, defined his trade by measuring his time with a sand-glass, charging fourpence an hour for his meticulous labor. Born in Prague in 1607, he navigated a career defined by the turbulent transitions of the seventeenth century, leaving behind a vast catalog of etchings that documented the evolving landscape of European cities.
Early Career and Continental Travel
Born in Prague, Hollar initially prepared for a legal career until the Thirty Years' War ruined his family financially. He shifted his focus to art, producing early plates by 1625. In 1627, he apprenticed with Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt. His subsequent travels through Strasbourg, Mainz, and Koblenz allowed him to capture the landscapes of the Middle Rhine Valley, eventually leading him to Cologne in 1633.
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In 1636, Hollar caught the attention of Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel, while the nobleman was on a diplomatic mission. Hollar joined his household as a draftsman, traveling to Vienna and Prague. By 1637, he moved to England with the earl. Even after Arundel died in 1646, Hollar maintained his reputation, etching a commemorative print for the nobleman’s widow, Aletheia.
Conflict and Artistic Prolificacy
The English Civil War significantly altered Hollar's professional trajectory and income. A royalist, he was captured at the siege of Basing House in 1645 but eventually escaped to Antwerp. During the unrest, he produced etchings such as the allegorical civilis seditio, a commentary on the conflict. Upon his return to London in 1652, he struggled with shifting court patronage and the decline of commissions, relying on book illustrations.
Final Years and Legacy
Hollar's later career included diverse projects, from documenting the aftermath of the Great Fire of London to a 1668 commission by the king to draw Tangier. He also etched the naval battle of the Mary Rose. Despite his massive output of nearly 3,000 etchings, he died in London in 1677 in extreme poverty, leaving behind a body of work that spanned cityscapes, cathedrals, and scientific studies of nature.
Fast facts
- Born: 1607, Prague
- Died: 1677, London
- Primary Occupations: Engraver, etcher, illustrator
- Movement: Baroque
- Burial Site: St Margaret's Church, Westminster
- Language: Czech
- Notable Works: Views of London, Antwerp Cathedral
- Spouse: Tracy (married 1641)
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Wenceslaus Hollar primarily document?
He created extensive cityscapes, landscapes, portraits, religious subjects, heraldic art, and scientific illustrations of nature, including insects and shells.
Where is Hollar buried?
He is buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster, in a supplementary burial ground.
Achievements
- Movement: Baroque
