Jacob Matham (1571-1631) stands as a significant figure in the rich tapestry of Dutch Golden Age printmaking. As an engraver, draftsman, and publisher, he navigated the complex artistic currents of the late 16th and early 17th centuries, a period marked by the flourishing of Mannerism and the nascent stirrings of the Baroque. Born in The Hague and also passing away there, Matham's life and career were inextricably linked with his stepfather and master, the renowned Hendrick Goltzius, one of the most influential artists of the era. While often viewed in the shadow of his formidable mentor, Matham developed his own distinct artistic voice, contributing substantially to the visual culture of his time through his prolific output and the dissemination of artistic ideas.
Early Life and Apprenticeship in Goltzius's Circle
Jacob Matham was born in The Hague in 1571. His formative years were profoundly shaped by his familial connection to Hendrick Goltzius (1558-1617). Goltzius married Matham's mother, thereby becoming his stepfather, and took the young Jacob under his wing as an apprentice around 1579, when Matham was merely eight years old. This apprenticeship placed Matham at the very heart of artistic innovation in the Netherlands. Goltzius was a leading proponent of Haarlem Mannerism, a style characterized by elongated figures, complex, often contorted poses (the figura serpentinata), and a sophisticated, intellectual approach to subject matter.
Goltzius himself was a virtuoso engraver, known for his astonishing technical skill, particularly his famous "swelling line" technique, which allowed him to create a remarkable range of tones and textures with the burin. He drew inspiration from earlier masters like Albrecht Dürer and Lucas van Leyden, as well as from his travels to Italy where he absorbed the lessons of Michelangelo and Raphael. Matham's training in Goltzius's workshop would have been rigorous, involving meticulous copying of his master's designs and learning the intricate craft of engraving. This early immersion in Goltzius's dynamic and technically demanding style laid the foundation for Matham's own career. His marriage to Marijtgen van Poelenburgh, who was Goltzius's sister, further solidified his ties to this influential artistic family.
The artistic environment of the Netherlands, and particularly centers like Haarlem (where Goltzius was most active, and thus where Matham spent much of his formative and professional life despite his The Hague origins), was vibrant. Artists like Karel van Mander, a contemporary and biographer of Goltzius, and Cornelis Cornelisz. van Haarlem were key figures in this milieu, exploring similar Mannerist aesthetics. Matham was thus part of a generation of printmakers who were pushing the boundaries of the medium.
Taking the Helm: The Matham Workshop
Around the year 1600, Hendrick Goltzius made a significant career shift, increasingly focusing his energies on painting rather than printmaking. This transition created an opportunity for Jacob Matham. Having thoroughly absorbed his master's techniques and artistic vision, Matham was well-positioned to take over the management and primary output of Goltzius's prestigious engraving workshop. This was a considerable responsibility, as the workshop was a leading producer of high-quality prints, catering to a growing market of collectors and connoisseurs across Europe.
Under Matham's direction, the workshop continued to thrive. He not only produced his own original designs but also engraved works after Goltzius and other prominent contemporary artists. This role as an engraver of other artists' designs was crucial for the dissemination of artistic styles and compositions before the age of photography. Prints were relatively affordable and portable, allowing images created by celebrated painters to reach a much wider audience than the original paintings themselves. Matham, therefore, played a vital role as both a creative artist and an important intermediary in the art world of his time. His activities also extended to publishing, further controlling the production and distribution of prints.
Artistic Style and Thematic Concerns
Jacob Matham's artistic style, while deeply rooted in the teachings of Goltzius, evolved over his career. Initially, his works closely mirrored the technical brilliance and Mannerist exaggerations of his stepfather. This included the characteristic swelling and tapering lines, the muscular, often heroic, figures, and the intricate compositions. However, as he matured, Matham developed a style that, while still technically proficient, became somewhat broader and more refined, occasionally showing a move towards the greater naturalism and dramatic intensity associated with the emerging Baroque.
His thematic repertoire was diverse, reflecting the varied tastes of his clientele. Religious subjects were a significant part of his output, including scenes from the Old and New Testaments, depictions of saints, and allegories of Christian virtues. This was a period of intense religious feeling, with both Catholic and Protestant patrons commissioning art. Matham, like Goltzius, produced works that could appeal across confessional divides, often focusing on universally understood moral or biblical narratives.
Mythological and allegorical subjects, staples of Mannerist art, also featured prominently in Matham's oeuvre. He engraved scenes from classical mythology, often imbued with complex symbolism and moralizing undertones. His allegorical prints, such as those created as New Year's works for rhetoricians' chambers (rederijkerskamers) and guilds, demonstrate his engagement with the intellectual and civic life of his community. These prints often personified abstract concepts like virtues, vices, the seasons, or the elements, using a rich visual language derived from classical and Renaissance sources.
A particularly interesting and unique aspect of Matham's work is his series of "fantasy heads" or tronies. These imaginative portraits, often depicting figures in exotic or historical costume, allowed him to showcase his technical versatility, sometimes imitating the appearance of sculpted stone or other materials through his engraved lines. These works highlight his inventive capacity and his interest in exploring the expressive potential of the human face and character.
Key Works and Series
Jacob Matham's prolific output includes several notable works and series that exemplify his skill and artistic concerns. Among his most celebrated prints is The Adoration of the Shepherds. This work, likely after a design by another artist or his own composition, showcases his ability to handle complex multi-figure compositions, create a sense of depth and atmosphere, and render varied textures, from the rough garments of the shepherds to the soft skin of the Christ Child. The play of light and shadow, often a hallmark of this period, would have been expertly managed through his engraving technique.
The series of the Seven Virtues, engraved by Matham after designs by Hendrick Goltzius, is another cornerstone of his early career, produced around 1597. These prints, including personifications like Charity (Caritas) and Justice (Justitia), are exemplary of Goltzius's mature Mannerist style, which Matham masterfully translated into the engraved line. Some impressions of this series are noted for their rich gold and color highlights, possibly applied by an anonymous artist referred to as "M.O.," enhancing their decorative appeal and value for collectors. These prints would have served a didactic purpose, promoting moral reflection through compelling visual allegories.
Another significant religious work is Christ on the Cross with Two Angels. This composition, often rich in iconographic detail, including landscape elements and possibly heraldic symbols, would have allowed Matham to display his command of anatomical rendering in the figure of Christ and his ability to convey pathos and spiritual intensity. Such devotional images were highly sought after.
Matham also explored the darker side of human nature in series like the Five Vices. His print of Envy (Invidia) from this series, for instance, might depict a figure with traditional attributes of envy, such as snakes or a heart being gnawed, rendered with the dramatic flair typical of Mannerist art. These personifications of vices served as moral warnings, complementing the virtuous examples found in other series.
Other important works include The Entombment of Christ, showcasing his skill in depicting solemn religious narratives, and numerous individual prints of saints and biblical figures. His ability to adapt to the evolving tastes is also seen in his later works, which sometimes incorporate elements of the burgeoning Baroque style, characterized by greater dynamism, emotional intensity, and a more naturalistic approach to light and form, influenced by artists like Peter Paul Rubens.
Collaborations and Artistic Dialogue
The career of an engraver in the 17th century was often built on collaboration and the interpretation of other artists' designs. Jacob Matham was no exception, and his interactions with contemporary artists were crucial to his success and influence. His most fundamental artistic relationship was, of course, with Hendrick Goltzius. Beyond the master-pupil dynamic, Matham continued to engrave Goltzius's designs even after taking over the workshop, ensuring the continued dissemination of his stepfather's influential compositions.
A particularly noteworthy collaboration was with the Flemish Baroque master Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). Rubens, a savvy artist and entrepreneur, understood the power of prints to spread his fame and designs. He commissioned various engravers, including Matham, to reproduce his paintings. Matham's engravings after Rubens, such as those depicting religious or mythological scenes, helped to popularize Rubens's dynamic and powerful style in the Northern Netherlands. This interaction demonstrates Matham's adaptability, as Rubens's robust Baroque aesthetic differed significantly from the more stylized Mannerism of Goltzius. Other engravers who worked for Rubens included Lucas Vorsterman the Elder and Paulus Pontius, highlighting the importance of this reproductive printmaking industry.
Matham also created engravings after the works of earlier Netherlandish masters like Pieter Aertsen (c. 1508-1575), known for his innovative kitchen and market scenes that often incorporated religious narratives in the background. By engraving Aertsen's compositions, Matham helped to keep the legacy of these important 16th-century painters alive for a new generation.
His connections extended to other artists within the Haarlem and broader Dutch artistic scene. He would have been aware of, and likely interacted with, figures such as Abraham Bloemaert of Utrecht, whose designs were also widely engraved, and Jacques de Gheyn II, another prominent pupil of Goltzius who developed his own distinct career as an engraver and painter. The print market was a network, and artists and publishers often had complex interrelationships. There is also mention of a possible, though perhaps indirect, influence of Matham's prints on the Spanish painter Bartolomé Esteban Murillo, illustrating the wide geographical reach of printed images.
The Printmaking Technique of Jacob Matham
Jacob Matham was a master of the engraver's art, a demanding technique requiring great skill and precision. Engraving is an intaglio process where the design is incised directly into a copper plate using a sharp steel tool called a burin. The depth and width of the incised lines determine the darkness of the printed line. Matham, following Goltzius, excelled in the use of the burin to create a rich variety of linear effects.
A key characteristic of the Goltzius school, which Matham adopted and proficiently utilized, was the "swelling line." By varying the pressure on the burin and rotating the plate, the engraver could create lines that thickened and thinned, allowing for remarkable modeling of forms, conveying volume, texture, and the play of light and shadow. This technique gave engraved images a sculptural quality and a dynamic visual rhythm. Cross-hatching, the layering of sets of parallel lines at different angles, was another essential method for building up tones and creating depth.
While primarily known as an engraver, it is also possible that Matham utilized etching in some of his works, or in combination with engraving. Etching involves coating the copper plate with an acid-resistant ground, drawing through the ground with a needle to expose the copper, and then submerging the plate in acid, which bites into the exposed lines. Etching generally allows for a freer, more sketch-like line than the more controlled burin work of engraving. Many printmakers of the period were adept at both techniques, sometimes using them in conjunction on the same plate to achieve different effects. Matham's technical prowess ensured that his prints were highly valued for their clarity, detail, and artistic finesse.
The Matham Dynasty and Legacy
Jacob Matham's artistic legacy extended beyond his own extensive body of work through his sons, who followed him into the printmaking profession, establishing a veritable Matham dynasty of engravers. He had three sons who became artists: Adriaen Matham (c. 1599-1660), Jan Matham (c. 1600-1648), and Theodoor Matham (c. 1605/06-1676).
Of the three, Theodoor Matham achieved the greatest prominence. He became a highly skilled and prolific engraver in the Baroque style. Theodoor traveled to Italy, where he worked in Rome and absorbed the influences of contemporary Italian art. He engraved works after many leading artists of his time, including Dutch masters like Rembrandt van Rijn (though direct engravings by Theodoor after Rembrandt are less common than those by others, he was part of that artistic sphere) and Italian painters. His style was well-suited to the dramatic and painterly qualities of High Baroque art. Adriaen was also an accomplished engraver and draftsman, known for his portraits and genre scenes, and he even undertook a diplomatic mission to Morocco, documenting his travels in drawings. Jan Matham also worked as an engraver, contributing to the family's output.
Jacob Matham's influence, therefore, was twofold: directly through his own prints, which were widely circulated and collected, and indirectly through the continuation of the printmaking tradition by his sons. He played a crucial role in the transition from the Mannerist style of Goltzius to the emerging Baroque, adapting his technique and subject matter to changing artistic tastes. His workshop was a significant center for print production, contributing to Haarlem's (and The Hague's) reputation as a major hub for the graphic arts in the Dutch Golden Age. Artists like Jan Saenredam, another Goltzius pupil, and the extensive Van de Passe family of engravers were part of this vibrant printmaking culture that Matham helped to shape. Even the great Titian's compositions found new life through prints, and Matham is known to have engraved a Venus, Adonis and Cupid after the Venetian master, further demonstrating the breadth of his reproductive work.
Conclusion: An Enduring Contribution to Dutch Art
Jacob Matham's career, though often discussed in relation to his celebrated stepfather Hendrick Goltzius, merits recognition in its own right. He was a highly skilled and industrious artist who made significant contributions to Dutch printmaking as an engraver, draftsman, and publisher. From his early immersion in Goltzius's Mannerist style to his later engagement with Baroque aesthetics, Matham demonstrated technical virtuosity and a keen understanding of the artistic currents of his time.
His extensive oeuvre, encompassing religious, mythological, and allegorical subjects, as well as his intriguing "fantasy heads," reflects the diverse visual culture of the Dutch Golden Age. Through his engravings after his own designs and those of prominent contemporaries like Rubens and Goltzius, Matham played a vital role in the dissemination of artistic ideas and the popularization of important artworks. The continuation of his artistic legacy through his talented sons, particularly Theodoor, further underscores his importance in the history of Dutch graphic arts. Jacob Matham remains a key figure for understanding the richness and complexity of printmaking during one of its most dynamic periods.
