Portret van professor Cornelis Valerius 1574

This is Paulus van Wtewael’s portrait of Professor Cornelis Valerius, engraved on a copper plate. While undated, its style situates it within the Northern Renaissance, a period marked by a burgeoning interest in humanist education. Valerius, as a professor, embodies the era's renewed focus on classical languages and rhetoric. The Latin inscription at the bottom tells us Valerius taught Latin in Collegium Trilingue, which emphasizes not just the man but also the importance of academic institutions of the time. The choice of portraiture signals the rising status of scholars and intellectuals in Dutch society, and the fact that Wtewael dedicated this engraving to Valerius tells us about the patronage system in place during this time. To fully understand the artwork, it's worth examining the history of Dutch education and the role of humanist scholars in shaping cultural identity. Resources like university archives and biographical dictionaries can provide invaluable insights into the lives and contributions of figures like Valerius.