A 1610 self-portrait engraving by Jacques de Gheyn II, depicting the artist in his studio surrounded by tools and symbolic objects.

This engraving, dated 1610, presents a self-portrait of the Dutch artist Jacques de Gheyn II. The composition functions as a visual manifesto of the artist's professional identity. De Gheyn is depicted in a studio setting, leaning against a large block that features an emblem of a winged hourglass, a common memento mori symbol of the period. His posture is relaxed yet deliberate, with one hand resting on the block and the other holding a small medallion or lens, suggesting his engagement with optics and precision. In the background, a smaller figure of the artist is shown at work before an easel, providing a narrative layer to the scene. The inclusion of brushes, a palette, and various tools on the table reinforces his dual mastery of painting and engraving. The Latin inscription below identifies him as 'Iacobus de Geyn, Antverp. Pict. et Sculpt.', confirming his status as both painter and sculptor. The technical execution displays the characteristic precision of early seventeenth-century Dutch printmaking, with fine hatching used to model the folds of his ruff and the texture of his garments. The work reflects the intellectual climate of the Dutch Golden Age, where artists often incorporated symbolic objects to communicate their philosophical interests. The presence of the winged hourglass and the scientific instruments suggests a preoccupation with time, mortality, and the empirical observation of the natural world. This print serves as a record of the artist's self-perception, documenting his tools, his environment, and his status as a learned practitioner of the visual arts. The clarity of the line work and the balanced arrangement of objects within the frame demonstrate the high level of control expected of a master engraver during this period.