Abraham Gorlaeus
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Abraham Gorlaeus, (the Latinized name he is usually known under), or Abraham van Goorle (original name), (1549 — 1608) was a Flemish antiquary.
Importance
Gorlaeus published Dactyliotheca, the catalog of engraved gems in his cabinet of curiosities.[1] It was the first extensive repertory of Greco-Roman intaglio gems. Such gems had been avidly collected for the previous century, at first in Italy.[2]
In 1609, the cabinet was purchased on behalf of Henry, Prince of Wales, an isolated early example of English interest in engraved gems.[3] Gorlaeus' Dactyliotheca remained useful for the rest of the century; it was republished by Jakob Gronovius in 1695, as part of his Thesaurus Graecarum antiquitatum.[4]
In his cabinet of curiosities, Gorlaeus had a collection of rare shells, which was of sufficient interest to be purchased by the States-General of the Dutch Republic as a present for Marie de' Medici, for 9000 guilders.[5]
Works
- Dactyliotheca seu annulorum sigillarium quorum apud Priscos tam Graecos quam Romanos usus…, 1601 (Latin)
- Thesaurus numismatum Romanorum. Sive numi aurei, argentei, aerei ad familias Romanas spectantes usque ad obitum Augusti, 1607 (Latin)
Notes
- ↑ Notably published at Antwerp by Plantin in 1609: [1].
- ↑ David Jaffé, "Aspects of Gem Collecting in the Early Seventeenth Century, Nicolas-Claude Peiresc and Lelio Pasqualini", The Burlington Magazine 135 No. 1079 (February 1993:103-120).
- ↑ Roy Strong, Henry Prince of Wales and England's Lost Renaissance (1986:199).
- ↑ Noted in Campbell Bonner, "A Miscellany of Engraved Stones" Hesperia 23.2 (April - June 1954:138-157) p. 154; 1695 title page. Online
- ↑ J.J. Dodt van Flensburg, "Resolutien der Generalen Staten uit de XVII eeuw", in Archief voor kerkelijke en wereldsche geschiedenissen... (Utrecht, 1839-48), vol. v, p. 8, noted in J. G. van Gelder, "Notes on the Royal Collection - IV: The 'Dutch Gift' of 1610 to Henry, Prince of 'Whalis'..." The Burlington Magazine 105 No. 729 (December 1963: 541-545) p. 542 note 7.
