Pieter van Sompel & Pieter Soutman

Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V)

Pieter van Sompel's & Pieter Soutman's "Carolus V, Imperator" (Emperor Charles V) is an original 17th century engraving and etching created by the Dutch artists. Soutman designed the entire composition and etched the outside borders. Van Sompel engraved the actual portrait. In total Pieter Soutman designed and etched thirteen of these large portraits of Habsburg Emperors and published them in 1644 under the title of Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae. Carolus V, Imperator was the grandson of Emperor Maximilian I. He was crowned as ruler of the Spanish Empire in 1516 and of the Holy Roman Empire in 1519. As such he ruled over a large portion of Europe and governed colonies in the Americas and Asia. Charles fought lengthy wars against both the French and Ottoman Empire. He opposed the Protestant Reformation and was instrumental in the beginnings of the Counter-Reformation. During his reign Charles the Fifth ordered the conquests of both the Aztec and Inca Empires. Because of its holdings in the New World, Spain became the wealthiest nation in Europe. Charles voluntarily abdicated around 1556.

In this engraving and etching, Pieter Soutman depicts a bust portrat facing left of Charles V. He is bearded and has a long mustache. The king is wearing a sash around his armour and a laurel wreath on his head. The portrait is, surrounded Pieter van Sompe's large and richly ornate oval border with the coat-of-arms of Charles V and chubby little putti attempting to crown a pair of imperial eagles in the upper margins. Along the sides of the border, more putti curiously climb among canons, armour and other items of war. The Latin text describing the sitter is placed beneath the portrait reads; "VII. Carolus V. Maximiliani I Nep. Philippi I Reggis, Hisp. Fil. Natus Ine unte MD, Praeesse, Belgis Incipit MDXV, Hispaniae, Regnum Ad, It MDXIX, Mox Iperator Mexic et Peruanum Obtinet, Caduca de: serit affixus aeternis MDLVII. Obit XI Kal. Octob. MDLVIII. 'P. Soutman Invenit Effigiavit et Excud. Cum Privil. P. van Sompel Sculp. Frederick de Wit Excudit'". This impression of "Carolus V, Imperator" Emperor Charles V) hails from the third state of four published by Frederick de Wit c. 1660 - 1680. It is a fine, original example of the engraved art of Pieter van Sompel and the etching and design techniques of Pieter Claesz Soutman.

Original Etching & Engraving by the Dutch artists, Pieter van Sompel and Pieter Soutman.

Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V)

View other original works of art from the (Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae).

(Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae) German and Austrian Emperors with a lineage to the House of Habsburg
#	Image	Title & Artist	Medium	Date	Notes
01-		Emperor Albert I (Albertus I, Imperator) by Pieter van Sompel & Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #14. Third State of Four
02.-		Emperor Charles V (Carolus V, Imperator) by Pieter van Sompel & Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #15. Third State of Four.
03.-		Emperor Frederick III (Imperator Fredericus III, Frederick the Fair) by Jonas Suyderhoef & Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Pieter Claesz Soutman, First Edition)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #50. First State of Four.
04.-		Emperor Maximilian I (Maximilianus I, Imperator) by Jonas Suyderhoef and Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #21. Third State of Four.
05.-		Emperor, Maximilian II (Maximilianus II, Imperator) by Jonas Suyderhoef and Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #22. Third State of Four
06.-		Emperor Rudolph I, Founder and Count of Habsburg (Rudolphus I, Nascitur Comes Habsburgicus) by Jonas Suyderhoef and Pieter Soutman	Original Etching & Engraving	1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)	K. G. Boon, Catalogue #23. Third State of Four.

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Title:	Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V)
Engraver:	Pieter van Sompel (Antwerp, c. 1600 - Haarlem, after 1644)
Etcher:	Pieter Claesz Soutman (Haarlem, 1580 - 1657)
Designer:	Pieter Claesz Soutman (Haarlem, 1580 - 1657)
Medium:	Original Etching & Engraving (Third State of Four)
Publisher:	Frederick de Wit
Date:	Date: 1644 (Frederick de Wit Edition: c. 1660 - 1680)
Source:	Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae
Note:	Pieter van Sompel: Born in Antwerp, Pieter van Sompel (sometimes, Sompelen) came to Haarlem to study engraving techniques under Pieter Claesz Soutman. He afterwards worked almost exclusively for this master and publisher, contributing many portrait engravings to such sets as Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae (1644), Ferdinandus II et III imperatorum domus Austriacae and The Princes of Nassau (1643). Perhaps because of similarities of the titles, portraits from the first two sets are often assigned to the wrong series. Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae (1644) consists of thirteen large engravings and etchings of Habsburg Emperors, the majority of which were engraved by Pieter van Sompel. Such is the case with this original portrait entitled, "Carolus V, Imperator" (Emperor Charles V). Ferdinandus II et III imperatorum domus Austriacae contains almost thirty smaller portraits depicting European Kings, Queens and Dukes during the reigns of Ferdinand II and III.
	Pieter van Sompel also engraved portraits and mythological and religious scenes after the designs of Rubens and Vandyck. During his career he engraved the portraits of such contemporaries as Philip of Nassau, Prince of Orange, Cardinal Ferdinand, Isabella, Infanta of Spain, Henry, Count of Nassau, and Gaston, Duke of Orleans.
	Pieter Soutman 'Pieter Claesz Soutman': A Dutch painter, etcher, engraver and print publisher, Pieter Claesz Soutman moved to Antwerp around 1620 to study painting and engraving techniques under Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). He was then employed by both the courts of Berlin and Warsaw to paint historical subjects and portraits. Soutman returned to Haarlem in 1628 and in the following years established a studio there where he taught the techniques of the famous school of Rubens. Among his students were Jones Suyderhoef, Pieter van Sompel, Cornelius Visscher and Jan Timans. Pieter Claesz Soutman entered the Guild of Haarlem in 1633.
	Many of Pieter Soutman's etchings and engravings are based upon the designs of Rubens. Some, however, were both designed and etched or engraved by his hand, as is here the case with this unique, ornamental border. Here, Charles's coat-of-arms and a pair of imperial eagles inhabit the upper margins. Putti attempt to crown both eagles, probably signifying this monarch's dual role as ruler of both the Holy Roman Empire and the Spanish Empire. Along the sides more putti curiously climb among canons, armour and other items of war. In his etching techniques Soutman aimed to keep his compositions both light and broad.
	For engraving the thirteen portraits of Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae, Pieter Soutman turned to two of his best apprentices, Jonas Suyderhoef (2) and Pieter van Sompel (11). Today such institutions as the British Museum and National Portrait Gallery, London, the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, the Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco include various impressions from the Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae in their permanent collections.
	A Biographical Note: Charles V (Ghent, 1500 - Yuste, Spain, 1558) was the eldest son of King Philip I of Castile (1478-1506), and Joanna of Castile, Queen of Castile and Aragon (1476-1555). He was the paternal grandson of Emperor Maximilian I (1459-1519) and paternal great grandson of the Holy Roman Emeror Frederick III (1415-1493). Charles V was crowned as ruler of the Spanish Empire in 1516 and of the Holy Roman Empire in 1519. As such he ruled over a large portion of Europe and governed colonies in the Americas and Asia. Charles the Fifth fought lengthy wars against both the French and Ottoman Empire. He opposed the Protestant Reformation and was instrumental in the beginnings of the Counter-Reformation. During his reign Charles V ordered the conquests of both the Aztec and Inca Empires. Because of its holdings in the New World, Spain became the wealthiest nation in Europe. Charles V voluntarily abdicated around 1556. His younger brother, Ferdinand, acquired the Habsburg Monarchy. Charles V married his cousin Isabella of Portugal (1503-1539). They had one son, King Philip II (1527-1598), who became King of Spain. and two daughters, the eldest, being Maria of Austria (1528-1603) who married her first cousin, the future Holy Roman Emperor, Maximilian II, Charles's paternal nephew. Their second daughter was Joanna of Austria (1535-1573), who married John Manuel, Prince of Portugal (1537-1554). This original etching and engraving depicts a shoulder length portrait of Holy Roman the Emperor Charles V. Here, the artists, Pieter van Sompel and Pieter Soutman depict Charles V wearing his armour with a wreath around his head ,surrounded by a large and richly ornate oval border with his coat-of-arms and putti attempting to crown a pair of imperial eagles in the upper margins. Along the sides of the border, more putti curiously climb among canons, armour and other items of war. The Latin text beneath the portrait reads; "VII. Carolus V. Maximiliani I Nep. Philippi I Reggis, Hisp. Fil. Natus Ine unte MD, Praeesse, Belgis Incipit MDXV, Hispaniae, Regnum Ad, It MDXIX, Mox Iperator Mexic et Peruanum Obtinet, Caduca de: serit affixus aeternis MDLVII. Obit XI Kal. Octob. MDLVIII. 'P. Soutman Invenit Effigiavit et Excud. Cum Privil. P. van Sompel Sculp. Frederick de Wit Excudit'" A loose translation to this text reads' (Plate 7. Charles V. Maximilian I, son of Philip I, King of Spain, born 1500, begins his rule over Beglium (Netherlands), 1525, Spain in 1519, then Emperor of Mexico and Peruvian holdings, abdicating in 1557. Died 9th Kal. October 1558. This is a striking example of the 17th century art created by the Dutch artists, Pieter van Sompel and Pieter Soutman.
	Charles voluntarily abdicated in 1556. His younger brother, Ferdinand, acquired the Habsburg Monarchy, while his son became King Philip II of Spain.
Raisonne:	K. G. Boon, ed., Hollstein’s Dutch and Flemish Etchings, Engravings and Woodcuts, Van Gendt B.V., Blaricum, 1984. Volume 27, pp. 209 - 213. Catalogue #15. Third State of Four, as described.
Note:	Determining the states for each engraving from Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae is not difficult. Changes occur only within the lettering. The first state is the only state that contains the date, 1644. In the second state the date has been removed. The third state contains the name of the new publisher, 'F. de Wit' or 'Frederick de Wit', to the lower right, as is the case with this impression of "Carolus V, Imperator". Lastly, for the fourth and final state, both the Roman numeral and de Wit's name have been removed.
	On the other hand, determining an exact date for Frederick de Wit's maps, portraits and other prints is not an easy task. Frederick de Wit (1630-1706) moved from his birthplace in Gouda to Amsterdam around 1648. He opened his first printing and publishing house there in 1654. He continued to publish a large number atlases, books and prints until the end of the century. Very few bear dates and thus in determining the date of publication for this original engraving I have left the broad range of c. 1660 - 1680.
	Information concerning Pieter Soutman's dual role as both the designer and etcher of the borders was obtained from the British Museum. This may be viewed online under the British Museum Registration Number: 1867,0413.609, Imperatores Domus Austriacae, portrait of Albertus II by Pieter Soutman and Jonas Suyderhoef. The Curator comments, "The portraits are engraved by Jonas Suyderhoef (Hollstein nos. 49-50) and Pieter van Sompel (Hollstein 14-24); while the ornamental borders are etched by Pieter Soutman, who also published the series in Haarlem in 1644". The British museum also includes an impression of Pieter van Sompel's & Pieter Soutman's portrait of Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V), Museum number 1876,0708.141. Their impression is a 'First State' containing the date, 1644.
Size:	17 3/8 X 14 1/4 (Sizes in inches are approximate, height preceding width of plate-mark or image.)
	Matted with 100% Archival Materials
Buy Now	Price: $495.00 US
Condition:	Printed on seventeenth century hand-made, laid paper and trimmed to the plate-mark, as usual. Impressions from Frederick de Wit's edition contain both vertical and horizontal fold marks to accommodate the size of the text of Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae. Such is the case with this original engraving. Else this original seventeenth century engraving is very well printed and in excellent condition throughout. Altogether, Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V) represents a fine, original example of the engraved art of Pieter van Sompel and the etching and design techniques of Pieter Claesz Soutman.
Subject:	Pieter van Sompel, Pieter van Sompelen, Pieter Claesz Soutman, Pieter Soutman, Carolus V, Imperator (Emperor Charles V), Charles the Fifth, original engraving and etching, Effigies imperatorum domus Austriacae, the Spanish Empire, Aztec and Inca Empires, Habsburg Monarchy.
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