21 Facts About Wenceslaus Hollar

Wenceslaus Hollar was a prolific and accomplished Bohemian graphic artist of the 17th century, who spent much of his life in England.

Wenceslaus Hollar is particularly noted for his engravings and etchings.

Wenceslaus Hollar was born in Prague, died in London, and was buried at St Margaret's Church, Westminster.

The earliest of his works that have come down to us are dated 1625 and 1626; they are small plates, and one of them is a copy of a "Virgin and Child" by Durer, whose influence upon Wenceslaus Hollar's work was always great.

Arundel had left England by 1642, and Wenceslaus Hollar passed into the service of the Duke of York, taking with him his young family.

Wenceslaus Hollar continued to produce works prolifically throughout the English Civil War, but it adversely affected his income.

Wenceslaus Hollar took his setting, presumably symbolizing longer term values, directly from an engraving published in George Sandys' Relation of a Journey begun An.

Wenceslaus Hollar joined the Royalist Regiment and was captured by parliamentary forces in 1645 during the siege of Basing House.

However, his work for the booksellers was poorly paid, and Wenceslaus Hollar's commissions declined as the Court no longer purchased his works after the Restoration.

Wenceslaus Hollar lived eight years after his return, still producing illustrations for booksellers, and continuing to produce well-regarded works until his death, for example a large plate of Edinburgh dated 1670.

Wenceslaus Hollar died in extreme poverty, his last recorded words being a request to the bailiffs that they would not carry away the bed on which he was dying.

Wenceslaus Hollar was laid to rest in a tomb in the supplementary burial ground for St Margaret's, which was the site of the New Chapel.

Wenceslaus Hollar was one of the best and most prolific artists of his time.

Wenceslaus Hollar's work includes some 400 drawings and 3000 etchings.

Wenceslaus Hollar reproduced decorative works of other artists, as in the famous chalice after Mantegna's drawing.

One of Wenceslaus Hollar's most famous etchings is a picture of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Antwerp, dated 1649.

The work's lively figural decoration, typical of Wenceslaus Hollar's style, includes a procession towards the entrance of the cathedral, a horse-drawn coach, and passers-by and dogs in a square in front of the church.

Wenceslaus Hollar was known for his topographical works and his maps.

Wenceslaus Hollar made a few maps of military engagements which were drawn by the Flemish artist and cartographer Jacob van Werden.

Wenceslaus Hollar's works were first catalogued in 1745 by George Vertue, with a second edition in 1759.

Wenceslaus Hollar engraved a costume book entitled Livre curieux contenant la naifve representation des habits des femmes des diverses parties du monde comme elles s'habillent a present The book includes a series of 28 plates representing the attire of common women, mostly from European countries, from the 17th century.