Aegidius Sadeler

Egidius Sadeler
File:Egidius Sadeler - Kupferstecher.jpg AEgidius Sadeler in Het Gulden Cabinet, engraved by Pieter de Jode II after a self-portrait for Jan Meyssens
Born	1570 Antwerp
Died	1629 Prague
Nationality	Southern Netherlands, Bohemia
Known for	Engraving

Egidius Sadeler or Aegidius Sadeler; Gilles Sadeler (1570–1629) was an engraver from the Southern Netherlands active at the court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor in Prague.

Engraving of Rudolf in 1602

File:1614 Sadeler Allegorie Regierung Kaiser Matthias anagoria.JPG

Allegory on the reign of Emperor Matthias (1557-1619), 1614

Sadeler was born in Antwerp in a Sadeler family of engravers. He was the son of Emmanuel de Sayeleer and the nephew of Aegidius I, Johan I en Raphael Sadeler. He was trained by his uncle Johan I, becoming a member of the Antwerp Guild of St. Luke in 1589. He was active in Munich the next year in 1590, in Rome in 1593, in Naples and then again in Munich in 1594-1597. From 1597 he settled in Prague where he became court engraver for Rudolf II and made engraved portraits of notables and engravings after artworks there, most notably paintings by Bartholomeus Spranger, Roelant Savery, Hans von Aachen, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and sculptures by Giambologna and Adriaen de Vries.

His early engavings were mostly faithful copies of works by Albrecht Dürer in the Imperial collection and copies of paintings by notable Italian painters such as Raphael, Tintoretto, Parmigianino, Barocci and Titian or by Northern painters who worked there, such as Paul Bril and Denys Calvaert. In Prague he also engraved portraits of the notables of Rudolf's court, and collaborated with Spranger, Joseph Heintz the Elder and Jacobus Typotius.

After Rudolf II died he enjoyed the favour and protection of the two succeeding Emperors, Matthias and Ferdinand II. According to Michael Bryan, "He used the graver with a commanding facility, sometimes finishing his plates with surprising neatness, when the subject required it; at other times his burin is broad and bold. His plates are very numerous, representing historical subjects, portraits, landscapes, &c. some of them from his own designs, many of which are much esteemed, particularly his portraits, which are executed in an admirable style. The following are considered his best prints:

Portraits

• The Emperor Rodolphus II. on horseback, with a Battle in the back-ground; after Ad. de Vries.
• The Emperor Matthias. 1616.
• The Empress Anne, his consort. 1616.
• The Emperor Ferdinand II. on horseback; in two sheets. 1629.
• Burckhard de Berlihing, Privy Counsellor to Rodolphus II.
• Christopher Guarinonius Fontanus, Physician to the same.
• John George Goedelman, Jurisconsult.
• Joachim Huber, Aulic Counsellor.
• Jacob Chimarrhaeus, Grand Almoner.
• Cardinal de Dietrichstein, Bishop of Olmutz. 1604.
• John Matthew Warenfels, Aulic Counsellor. 1G14.
• Adam, Baron de Trautmansdorf.
• Siegfried de Kolonitsch.
• Ferdinand de Kolonitsch.
• Torquato Tasso, Poelarum Princept, 1617
• Octavius Strada, Antiquary.
• Peter Breughel, Painter, of Brussels. 1606.
• Martin de Vos, Painter, of Antwerp.
• Sigismond Bathori, Prince of Transilvania.

Various subjects from his own designs

• A set of twelve plates, representing Angels with the Instruments of the Passion.
• A set of fifty-two Views near Rome, entitled Vestigi delle Antichitd di Roma.
• The Burning of Troy, an etching; 2Eg. Sadeler, fecit, aqua forti.
• Charity, represented by a female figure with three children.
• Narcissus admiring himself in a Fountain.
• Pan and Syrinx.
• St. Sebastian dying, with an Angel drawing out the Arrows from his side.
• St , Dominick receiving the Institution of his Order from St. Peter and St . Paul."

Sadeler died in Prague in 1629. He had many pupils, including Wenzel Hollar and Joachim von Sandrart, who wrote his biography.