Grietgen (Margaretha) Jansdr

The sitter is shown in a three-quarter view within an oval border, wearing a pleated ruff, an embroidered bodice, and a lace-edged cap. The engraving displays high technical precision in the rendering of facial features and fabrics, set against a background of fine horizontal hatching. The inscription around the border is mirrored, indicating the plate may have been intended for a decorative silver medallion or was printed before the script was reversed for paper publication.

As the wife of Hendrick Goltzius, Margaretha Jansdr. provided the financial means for him to establish his independent workshop in Haarlem. This studio became a central hub for the production of Mannerist prints that explored complex Hermetic, Neoplatonic, and alchemical themes, making her a vital enabler of the era's esoteric visual culture.