The Drawings of Cornelis Visscher (1628/9-1658)

This dissertation discusses the drawings of Cornelis Visscher (1628/9-1658), a draftsman and printmaker active in Haarlem and Amsterdam in the middle of the seventeenth century. Though largely unknown today, Visscher was highly regarded in his own lifetime, and his drawings were eagerly sought by collectors in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Provided is a biographical sketch of the artist, discussions of the changing status of drawing, Cornelis’ artistic progression, interest among collectors, critical responses to his works, and a catalogue of all known drawings by the artist.