Hans Witdoeck

Hans Witdoeck or Jan Witdoeck (Antwerp, baptized 8 December 1615 - probably Antwerp, after 1642) was a Flemish engraver, draughtsman and art dealer. He belonged to the last generation of reproductive engravers who worked for Rubens' workshop from the mid-1630s.

Life Hans Witdoeck was a pupil of the engraver Lucas Vorsterman in the years 1630–1631. Vorsterman had joined Rubens' workshop around 1617 or 1618 and had established himself as Rubens' primary engraver since. Hans Witdoeck broke the three-year training contract with Vorsterman after only two years at the instigation of his father. He then trained for two years with the painter Cornelis Schut who introduced him to painting. He subsequently trained with Rubens where he learned the engraving of large plates. After the death of Rubens in 1640, Witdoeck worked mainly as an art dealer.

He married Catherina Gommaerts on 24 June 1642. Since there are no further records on Witdoeck following his marriage, it is presumed that he died shortly afterwards.

Work In his early engravings he made for Cornelis Schut, Witdoeck followed a traditional style similar to that of Cornelis Galle and his workshop. Witdoeck showed in his prints after Rubens a great skill in capturing the movement and variety of colour in the original works through his clever use of black, grey and white tones. A typical example is Abraham and Melchizedek.