Abraham Blooteling Explained

Abraham Blooteling (or Bloteling) (1634–1690)^[1] was a Dutch designer and engraver.

Life

He was born at Amsterdam. From the style of his etchings it is likely that he was a pupil of the Visschers. Following the French incursions into the Netherlands in 1672, he went to England, where he met with some success, but only stayed for two or three years.

Blooteling produced a large number of etchings, some line engravings, and also worked in mezzotint, a technique he is known to have adopted by 1671. He has sometimes been credited with the invention of the "rocker" as a tool for the preparation of mezzotint plates, and with introducing the technique into England.^[2]

In 1685 he published the collection of gems of Leonardo Agostini, etched by himself. He sometimes signed his plates with his name at length, and sometimes with a monogram, composed of the letters 'A' and 'B'. Bloteling was a bachelor and a friend of Gerard de Lairesse, who also lived on Prinsengracht.

Etchings and engravings

Portraits

• Thomas Sydenham, Bishop of Worcester; after Mrs Beale.
• John Wilkins, Bishop of Chester; after the same.
• Anthony, Earl of Shaftesbury

after Greenhill.

• Edward, Earl of Sandwich

after Lely.

• Edward, Earl of Montagu; after the same.
• James, Duke of Monmouth

after the same.

• Cornelis Tromp, Admiral of Holland; after the same.
• Prince Rupert; after the same. 1673.
• Aert van Nes, Admiral of Holland; L. de Jonghe pinx.
• Constantijn Huygen

after Netscher.

• John Henry Thim; A. Stech pinx.
• Jerome de Beverningh

after Vaillant.

• Willem van Haren

after the same. 1680.

• Egbert Meesz Kortenaer, Admiral of Holland; Bart. van der Helst pinx.
• The Marquis de Mirabelle; after Van Dyck.
• Ferdinand de Fürstenberg, Bishop of Paderborn; A. Blotelinq sc. 1669.
• Michel Adriaensz de Euyter, Admiral; Bloteling fec. aqua forti.
• Sir Thomas More, Lord High Chancellor.
• Edward Stillingfleet, Canon of St. Paul's.
• Henry, Duke of Norfolk. 1678.
• Jane, Duchess of Norfolk. 1681.
• Augustus Stellingwerf, Admiral of Friesland.
• Cornelis de Wit, Vice Admiral of Holland.
• Tierck Hides de Fries, Admiral of Friesland.
• Cornelis Speelman, Vice Admiral.

Various subjects after his own designs and other masters

• Twelve Views of Gardens; inscribed Alcune Vedute, etc.
• Eighteen circular plates of subjects of sacred history, with flowers; A. Bloteling fec.
• A Landscape, with Diana bathing; J. van Neck pinx.; A. Bloteling exc.
• A Landscape, with Alpheus and Arethusa; the same.
• Six Views of the Environs of Amsterdam; Jac. Ruisdael inv.; A. Bloteling fee. 1670.
• Actaeon devoured by his Dogs; G. Flink pinx.
• A Shepherd playing on his Pipe, with a Shepherdess; after the same.
• The Golden Age; G. Lairesse pinx.; N. Visscher exc.
• The Marriage of St. Catharine; after Raphael.
• Two Heads of Children; after Rubens; rare; some impressions have the name of Rubens.
• The Study of the Head of a Man; after Rubens; A. Bloteling fec. et exc; rare.
• Four Studies of Lions; after Rubens; inscribed Varice Leonum Icones, a P. P.
• Two Huntings of the Boar and Stag; fine.

Mezzotints

Portraits

• Justus Lipsius

A. Bloteling fec.

• Michelangelo Buonarroti

A. Bloteling fec.

• Frans Mieris, painted by himself; A. Bloteling fee.
• Jan de Wit, Grand Pensionary of Holland; after de Baen.
• Cornelis de Wit, the brother of Jan; after de Baen.
• Staverinus, an old Jew, holding a Medal: Corn. Bega pinx.
• Titus Oates

Hawker pinx.

• Desiderius Erasmus

H. Holbein pinx, 1671.

• Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington

after Lely; oval.

• Charles, Earl of Derby

after the same. (pictured)

• Abraham Symmonds, an artist; after the same.
• Queen Catharine

after the same. (pictured)

• William Henry, Prince of Orange

after the same. 1678.

• Nell Gwyn

P. Lely pinx.

• Mary of Modena, Duchess of York; after the same.
• Cornelis Tromp, Admiral of Holland; after the same.
• Michiel Adriensz de Ruijter, Admiral of Holland; J. Lievens pinx.
• The Emperor Leopold I; C. Morad pinx.
• Henry Casimir, Prince of Nassau

M. van Muscher pinx. (pictured)

• Portrait of a Venetian Lady; Titiano inv.
• Constantijn Huygens; B. Valliant pinx.
• Jan de Oronefeld; after the same.

Various subjects from his own designs and other masters

• The Five Senses; after C. Bega.
• The Four Ages; circular; after the same.
• Hercules destroying the monster; G. Lairesse pinx.
• St. Peter penitent; after P. Moreels.
• A Landscape, with mythological figures; F. de Neve pinx.
• The Temptation of St. Anthony; Cam. Procaccini pinx.
• A Man holding a glass; Rostrate pinx.
• Bust of a Man; circular.
• Bust of a young Man crowned with laurels; circular.
• Bust of Hippolyta; oval.
• Two Heads, with Phrygian and Grecian Head-dresses; one plate.
• The Satyr, and a Peasant; oval.
• Vanitas, a Child blowing bubbles.
• Abundance, a figure sitting.
• The head of a Vestal, crowned with roses.
• Small bust of Jupiter; circular.
• Small bust of Venus; same.
• Half length of a Boy holding a Cat.
• Cupid and Psyche.
• A Blind Man playing on the Flute.
• Andromeda.

Further reading

• Encyclopedia: Browne, Alexander. 1996. The Dictionary of Art. Grove's Dictionaries. New York. Jeffree. Richard. Turner. Jane. 4. 169–170. 1-884446-00-0. 1033646743. the Internet Archive.
• Encyclopedia: Lechner. Gregor M.. Kasten. Eberhard. etal. 1995. Bloteling (Blooteling), Abraham. Allgemeines Künstlerlexikon. de. 11. München, Leipzig. Saur. 607. 3-598-22751-5.
• Encyclopedia: Moes. Ernst Wilhelm. 1910. Thieme. Ulrich. Ulrich Thieme. Becker. Felix. Felix Becker (art historian). Bloteling, Abraham. Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler. de. 4. Leipzig. W. Engelmann. 139. 1039507204. the Internet Archive.
• Book: Smith, John Chaloner. British Mezzotinto Portraits. H. Sotheran. 1878–1884. London. pt. 1, pp. 64–70. John Chaloner Smith. the Internet Archive. 1041598596.

External links

• Egbert Meesz Kortenaer L. admirael van Hollandt over Het Quartier van de Maes, 1670-1690, at the National Library of Portugal

Notes and References

1. http://stadsarchief.amsterdam.nl/archieven/archiefbank/indexen/begraafregisters_voor_1811/zoek/query.nl.pl?i1=1&a1=bl*otel*&x=12&z=b# Amsterdam city archive
2. Book: Hind, Arthur M.. Arthur Mayger Hind. 1963. A History of Engraving & Etching from the 15th Century to the Year 1914. registration. 3rd, fully rev.. New York. Dover. 265. 1035610203. the Internet Archive.