I. Andreas Scharffen

Portrait of Copernicus

mezzotint

ca 1700

Portrait of Nicolaus Copernicus made by the mezzotint technique. Because of the subtleness of its modelling and its soft colour scheme the portrait is considered unique in comparison with other known graphic representations of Copernicus. I. A. Ascharffen is a little known artist who marked his presence in Poland at the turn of the 18th c. This portrait of Copernicus was based on an engraving by Jacob van Meurs, featuring the upper part of Copernicus’ body turned three quarters to the right with his left hand raised, holding an ostensory. Beneath - a four-line stanza: Nondocet.instabiles COPERNICUS aetheris orbes/ Sed terrae instabilis arguit ille vices/ Ex Officina Laureriana/ THORUNENSIS.

Regional Museum in Toruń