Science & Education · 18th century
€ 180
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Crisp impression with minor age-toning. Slight edge wear and a few small marks in the lower margin. No tears or repairs, but original fold lines are professionally flattened.
Antique Portrait David Millius – Professor of Oriental Languages, Etching 1742
This finely detailed 18th-century portrait depicts David Millius (1693–1757), a prominent Dutch theologian and orientalist, known for his scholarship in Hebrew and other Oriental languages. The engraving was made in 1742 by Jakob Houbraken after a portrait by A. van der Linde, and the Latin inscriptions below the image emphasize Millius’s erudition and wide-ranging linguistic mastery.
David Millius was professor at the University of Utrecht (Academia Trajectina), where he taught Theology, Antiquities, and Oriental Languages. The Latin text under his name lists his roles: “Theol. Antiquit. Hebr. et Linguar. Oriental. Professor.” He is depicted at age 49 (“Ætat. XLIX.”), exuding calm authority with a composed expression and upright posture. His hand gesture may allude to the act of lecturing or blessing, aligning with his role as a theological instructor.
The engraving’s precision and tonal depth are characteristic of Houbraken’s style. Known primarily for his portrait work, Houbraken was one of the leading Dutch engravers of the 18th century, often collaborating on biographical publications and print series. This portrait, surrounded by a finely engraved rectangular trompe-l'œil frame, enhances the impression of a formal oil painting rendered in print.
Beneath the portrait, the Latin verses by Joannes Werenfridus Rittheus (noted in the lower right) offer a eulogy to Millius’s intellectual virtues and his command of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic, describing him as a figure whose “mind is a library” and who “will reveal the splendid treasures of the Arabs.”
This print will appeal to collectors of university portraiture, 18th-century theology, or Dutch Enlightenment-era scholarship.
Condition: Crisp impression with minor age-toning. Slight edge wear and a few small marks in the lower margin. No tears or repairs.
Framing tips: A broad dark frame with a linen or antique cream mount will complement the strong lines and lend this academic portrait an elegant and scholarly presence.
Technique: Etching and engraving
Maker: Jacobus Houbraken after A. van der Linde, Amsterdam, 1742
