Wenceslaus Hollar in 1657
by Sébastien Bourdon (1616-71)

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Wenceslaus Hollar, dated 1657, is one of Sébastien Bourdon's most sensitive portraits and gratifyingly well preserved. The rich restraint of colouring, the nervous tension in the hands which manipulate setsquare and dividers, the profundity of the gaze, combine to convey the warmth and strength of the sitter's personality.