Cornelis Visscher

1629 – 1658

Dutch engraver and draughtsman. He was one of the most important and productive Dutch portrait draughtsmen and engravers of the 17th century, despite his early death. He was probably a pupil of the Haarlem painter and engraver Pieter Soutman. In 1649-50 he made numerous portrait engravings for several print series published and supervised by Soutman. He was probably Soutman's principal collaborator during this period, although the quantity of prints produced suggests that he was not the only one. After 1650 Visscher apparently set up independently. In 1653 he joined the Haarlem Guild of St Luke, but he must have moved to Amsterdam shortly thereafter. In addition to portraits, he also did engravings of biblical scenes, genre scenes, landscapes, and animal studies.

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