Cornelis Martin (1567-1621) - Filippo il Buono, XXVIII Conte di Fiandra — Les genealogies, et anciennes descentes des Comtes de - 1580

This magnificent copper engraving constitutes the historical and ceremonial portrait of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, here recorded in his title as the twenty-eighth Count of Flanders (indicated at the bottom as Philippe Le Bon 28e Comte), inserted in the volume Les genealogies, et anciennes descentes des forestiers et comtes de Flandre, published in Antwerp around 1580 by the Flemish scholar Cornelis Martin. The scene shows the sovereign full-length in a regal pose, entirely enveloped in a sumptuous robe and a typical Flemish headdress (ciaperone) dyed in a rich shade of red, while at his neck he bears the prestigious collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. With his right hand he makes a solemn gesture, while the left rests on a large parade sword with a gold hilt and a dark scabbard, laid on the floor beside a grand heraldic shield that displays the complex quarters of the House of Burgundy and of the County of Flanders itself. The backdrop of the figure offers an opening to an aristocratic and theatrical interior finely tiled in a checkered pattern, characterized by a loggia with arches where, on the left, a scene of court or council with high prelates and advisers seated is depicted, topped by small crests hanging from the columns. The plate, originally drawn by the painter Pieter Baltens and impressed with extraordinary chiaroscuro-like engraving, bears at the top the inscription “Le vintehvytiesme Conte de Flandre,” next to the page number 109, while at the bottom center the typographic signature P 2 appears and in the corner of the engraved mirror the plate number 28. The excellence of the specimen is magnificently complemented by a refined contemporaneous watercolor coloring executed entirely by hand.

Dimensions 18 x 26 cm
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