Balthazar Moncornet

Balthazar Moncornet was a printmaker active in the early 17th century, with his documented professional activity spanning the years 1600 through 1633. His known surviving output consists primarily of portraits and historical religious narratives rendered as prints.

Moncornet’s subjects included prominent historical and political figures such as Portret van Hendrik II van Frankrijk and Mary, Queen of Scots, alongside clerical portraits like Portret van Charles de Montchal. He also executed detailed biblical scenes, exemplified by Saint John the Baptist and the graphic narrative Salome receiving the head of John the Baptist, surrounded by three men and a child bearing a torch, the Baptist's body lies on the ground.

Seven of Balthazar Moncornet’s prints are currently represented in major international museum collections, establishing the historical importance of his work. These holdings are preserved at institutions including the Rijksmuseum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Due to the age of these historical documents, Moncornet’s work often resides in the public domain, allowing institutions to make high-quality prints and downloadable artwork accessible for study and reproduction.