Peter Isselburg

Peter Isselburg was an active printmaker and engraver documented across the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, with his artistic activity spanning the period of approximately 1580 to 1615. His oeuvre focuses predominantly on portraiture, capturing ecclesiastical, royal, and aristocratic figures of the era.

Five prints attributed to Isselburg are preserved in major public collections, establishing his proficiency in detailed engraving. His subject matter focused heavily on political and religious elites, exemplified by works such as the single-figure portraits Frederick V, King of Bohemia and Joachim Ernest, Elector of Brandenburg, as well as the depiction of the prelate in Joannes Swicardus, Archbishop of Maguntino. He also created double and group portraits, including the royal study Emperor Matthias and Empress Anna and the domestic subject Portrait of a Man and His Son.

These works are held in prestigious American institutions, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art. The preservation of these historic compositions as museum-quality prints allows for scholarly examination. Because many of these engravings now reside in the public domain, high-quality prints and downloadable artwork derived from Isselburg’s original impressions are widely accessible to researchers and enthusiasts.