Man sitting on an auricular mask, supporting a strapwork frame on his shoulders,

1557

Little is known of the brothers Joannes and Lucas van Doetechum, beyond that they were born and died in what is now Holland and were among the most influential engravers working for the esteemed Antwerp print publisher Hieronymus Cock. Famed for their combined etching and engraving technique, the Doetechum brothers produced exquisite copperplates after landscapes by Pieter Brueghel the Elder and other Netherlandish masters, ornamental designs by the architects Cornelis Floris and Hans Vredeman de Vries, and some of the finest maps in the sixteenth century. The publication of these elaborate, highly mannered ornamental motifs—inspired by ancient Roman architecture and wall decorations—helped to spread the popularity of Italian Renaissance design throughout northern Europe.