Click to go to the site

The world of Philips Galle,
Philips lived in a really interesting time at the edge of Italian renaissance and Northern baroque. Antwerp became one of the most important art centres in Europe and he was right in the middle of it. Hieronymus Cock preceded him in 1548 as a pioneer in the printing/publishing business in the North. Cock established a solid reputation for bringing the renaissance art from Italy under the eyes but also for supporting Flemish art with Pieter Brueghel and Jheronimus Bosh. After working for Cock Philips started his own publishing house in 1563 in Haarlem. When Cock died in 1570 he returned to Antwerp and managed his press. The period he lived in was sadly also one of religious troubles. He left Haarlem in 1569-70 and avoided the siege but in 1576 he witnessed the siege and looting of Antwerp. It is difficult to place him as a Catholic or a Protestant in the Dutch revolt. He was trained by the humanist engraver Dirck Volckertsz. Coornhert in Haarlem and stayed probably a humanist all his life. Balancing in his relations with politics and the church he managed to build out his print shop to a success and published also largely religious prints as these became more and more present in the last quarter of the 16th century. As Cock he was also an engraver and is perhaps most known for his own work.

I featured a group of his humanistic prints on the website dealing with the several ages and  ways of living. Enjoy.