
Hendrick GoltziusDutch, 1558–1617May one see it?
Amsterdam, Netherlands
The owner is known. Whether it is on view today, the museum does not say, and we were not trained to guess.
1575
Apprenticeship with Dirck Coornhert
His father placed Hendrick as an apprentice to the philosopher, theologian and engraver Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert, then working in Xanten, so that his son could master the art of engraving.
1577
Move to Haarlem
He followed Coornhert to Haarlem, where he remained for the rest of his life. There the publisher Philips Galle hired him to engrave a series of prints on the story of Lucretia; in the following years Goltzius engraved after the designs of other artists for Coornhert and for Antwerp publishers.
1577
Teacher: Dirck Volckertszoon Coornhert
1579
Marriage to a wealthy widow
At 21 he married a wealthy widow considerably older than himself. The "unequal marriage" gave him economic independence: he bought a house, opened his own engraving workshop, and two years later took on two apprentices.
1580
Beginning of his own publishing activity
He apparently began publishing prints on his own.
late 1580s
Depression and consumption
From the late 1580s he suffered from depression and consumption; his family life was unhappy.