signed, dated and numbered ‘HG [interlaced] 1593./ 6’ and inscribed ‘PRAECVRSOR [...] ANNIS.’ (in the plate)
engraving, watermark encircled star (cf. Briquet 6090, datable 1594, Ferrara) [1]
47.5 x 35.3 cm (plate); 49.3 x 37.3 cm (sheet)

The New Hollstein 13, third and final state [2], a fine impression with sharp contrast, printing clearly, the supporting lines in the text still faintly visible, there are horizontal and vertical paper paper flaws and printing creases (wich has resulted in a pintpoint hole in the centre of the sheet), there is some slight foxing and discolouration (mainly along the lower edge), the sheet is otherwise in very good untreated condition.
In the years following his return from his sojourn in Italy, Goltzius production of engravings flourished both in terms of quantity and quality. Produced during this time (around circa 1595), the series of 6 monumental engravings, to which the present engraving belongs, are known as the artist’s meisterstiche. These works are celebrated for their artistic and technical virtuosity as well as their impressive scale, earning early acclaim from Karel van Mander in his 1604 Schilderboeck. [3] Van Mander notes that Goltzius produced the series in response to the art he had seen in Italy and that he engraved the plates very swiftly in order to present the prints at the Frankfurter Buchmesse.

According to Van Mander, the Circumcision, executed in the style of Albrecht Dürer, was sold and circulated without the artist’s monogram and treated with smoke to make them look older. The trick fooled many collectors, provoking reactions ranging from ire to admiration. The present engraving was inspired by two engravings by Cornelis Cort after Federico Barocci. Goltzius sought to emulate the Italian master, enlarging and transforming the compositions while introducing a number of elements of his own. The scene depicts Mary with the Christ Child, who affectionately strokes the face of Saint John as Joseph quietly observes the scene from above. Like in Cort’s engraving, Goltzius included a cat and a bird to the composition - a traditional symbol of the human soul - but diverges by having the cat catch the bird, adding a dynamic twist to the theme. The purity of Mary, furthermore, is symbolized by the beautifully rendered lilies in a vase on the left.

[1] C.M. Briquet, Les Filigranes. Dictionnaire Historique des Marques du Papier. Tome Deuxième Ci-K, Geneva, 1907.
[2] M. Leesberg, The New Hollstein. Dutch & Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts. 1450-1700. Hendrick Goltzius. Part I, Oudekerk aan den IJssel, 2012, p. 21.
[3] K. van Mander, Het Schilder-Boeck [...], Haarlem, 1604, fols. 284v-285r.