Cornelis Martin (1567-1621) - Guglielmo di Normandia — Les genealogies

This magnificent copperplate engraving constitutes the historical portrait and apparatus of William of Normandy, also known as William Cliton, Count of Flanders (indicated at the bottom as Gvilliamme de Normandie, 14e Comte), inserted in the volume Les genealogies, et anciennes descentes des forestiers et comtes de Flandre, published in Antwerp around 1580 by the Flemish scholar Cornelis Martin. The scene shows the count in a full-length, martial pose of a medieval commander, entirely clad in plate armor topped by a short pink-fringed tunic and protected by a characteristic crested helmet on the head. With his left hand he firmly raises a formidable war halberd, while on the right arm he bears a heraldic shield displaying the ancient emblem—a sunburst or radiating motif alternating white and blue with a central red escutcheon. Behind his legs, crouched on the base, rises the symbolic figure of a lion, emblem of strength and the link with the subsequent heraldic tradition of the Flanders. At his feet, laid on the ground along the left edge, rests an additional tournament helmet enhanced by a tall plume colored red and blue, flanked by gauntlets and the sword’s sheath. The background features a deep hilly landscape opening on either side of the figure, showing to the left a fortified city stretched along the valley and to the right an imposing medieval fortress or monastery perched among the trees under a sky cleaved by clouds. The plate, originally drawn by the painter Pieter Baltens and impressed with extraordinary calcographic definition, bears at the top the heading “Le qvatorziesme Conte de Flandre” next to page number 81 and at the bottom right the plate number 14. The excellence of the specimen is magnificently complemented by a refined contemporaneous watercolor coloring entirely hand-applied, which gives great prominence to the shades of the Flemish territory, the gleam of the armor, and the vivid chromatic details of the garments. Dimensions 18 x 26 cm It will be shipped by courier

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