Christoffel Jegher Peter Paul Rubens

Christoffel Jegher, often recognized for his skilled execution of designs by Peter Paul Rubens, was a significant figure in 17th-century European reproductive printmaking. Jegher’s documented professional activity spans the period 1613 through 1635. This productive collaboration yielded a series of technically advanced woodcuts that translated the dramatic intensity of Rubens’s designs into the accessible medium of prints.

Eight of these Christoffel Jegher Peter Paul Rubens prints are documented across museum collections, establishing the technical caliber of the partnership. The National Gallery of Art holds examples of these works, which are valued for their dynamic composition and museum-quality detail.

Key works represented in collections include the devotional woodcut The Infant Christ and Saint John Playing with the Lamb and the elaborate mythological scene Hercules Fighting the Fury and the Discord. Jegher’s scope extended beyond fine art reproductions to include important publishing ephemera, such as the Printer's Device for the Plantin Press and the illustrative frontispiece Vignette for the Title Page of C. Peregrino, Principes Hollandiae et Zelandiae. Other notable prints include the large-scale religious depiction Coronation of the Virgin.

The enduring quality of these high-quality prints secures their historical importance. As works created centuries ago, many of the original impressions are now in the public domain, facilitating their study and digital availability worldwide.