Engraved Portrait of Benedict (Barukh) Spinoza, Amsterdam: ca.1677

1 engraved sheet (7 5/8 x 5 5/8 in.; 193 x 144 mm). Image of Spinoza in a circular frame above a plinth, the face of which bears his name and a Latin poem. Spinoza's places and dates (born:11/24/1632, Amsterdam—died: 2/21/1677, The Hague) engraved in plate at upper corners. "philosoof" inscribed in ink, lower right. Matted.

E. Altkirch, Spinoza im Porträt. Jena 1913, p. 61-63. Not found in Rubens.

He to whom nature, God and the cosmic order of things were known,
Here he, Spinoza, may be contemplated.
Only his visage is displayed, but to portray his mind
Even the artistry of Zeuxidis would not suffice.
Seek that out in his written words, where he treats of things sublime.
Who wishes to know him, read his works.

Thus reads the Latin poem inscribed within this anonymous portrait of Benedict (Barukh) Spinoza. Known as the 'Opera portrait,' it is considered by most of the Spinoza-specialists (together with the Wolfenbüttel painting) as the only reliable portrait of the famed philosopher. According to R. Ekkart, the Opera portrait is the most secure expression of Spinoza's appearance we have. This conclusion is in accord with the few descriptions of his appearance known from the sources, which underline his small stature, his dark eyes and dark hair.

It was published a few years after his death and could be acquired seperately or be included in either the Latin edition of B.D.S. Opera Postuma or in the Dutch translation of this work, the Nagelate Schriften van B.D.S, which both appeared in Amsterdam in1677 and were prohibited almost immediately afterwards by the Court of Holland and the States of Holland.

The portrait is very rare for several reasons. First because the portrait was executed by the technique of etching, and consequently could be printed in a limited number of copies only. But above all, because the Opera edition and its Dutch translation were forbidden books - anyone who sold or owned a copy could be severely punished. By including the portrait (on which the name of the author is mentioned) in the anonymously published book, the possession of it became even more dangerous. For this reason the portrait is seldom found in the existing copies of Spinoza's magnum opus. Indicative of this fact is, that the library of the Society Het Spinozahuis (The Spinoza House) at Rijnsburg, which possesses three copies of the Opera Postuma and two copies of the Nagelate Schriften, has no copy with the portrait.

Jan Rieuwertsz the Younger 1651/2-1723) , the son of the printer of Spinoza's works, informed two German scholars, Gottlieb Stolle (1673-1744) and a certain Hallmann, about the history of this portrait and the poems. They travelled in 1703/4 in the Netherlands and their travelogue is known from a few manuscripts. Rieuwertsz told them that the portrait had been made 3 to 4 years after Spinoza's death. He did not know the author of the Latin poem, or he wished not to tell them. But he knew that Spinoza's friends quarreled about its contents. The Dutch poem had been made for people who did not understand the Latin text.

Jan Rieuwertsz the Younger had been arrested himself in May 1695 for selling Spinoza's works. In the same month the bookseller Timotheus ten Hoorn was arrested for the same reason and sentenced to a fine of 150 guilders.

According to Altkirch, the author of the poem might be Lodewijk Meijer (1629-1681) or Johannes Bouwmeester(1630-1680), both intimate friends of Spinoza.

Literature:
E. Altkirch, Spinoza im Porträt. Jena 1913, p.61-63.

I.H. Van Eeghen, De Amsterdamse boekhandel 1680-1725. Vol III, Amsterdam 1965, p. 165; Vol. IV, Amsterdam 1967, p. 65.

J. Kingma, 'Les portraits'. In: Spinoza. Troisième centenaire de la mort du philosophe. [Catalogue par Judith C.E. Belinfante, Jelle Kingma et Adri K. Offenberg]. Paris 1977, p. 13, nr 4.

R. Ekkart, 'Spinoza in beeld. Het onbekende gezicht'. In: De Steen Vliegt. Verkenningen geïnspireerd door het gedachtengoed van Benedictus de Spinoza. / A Stone in Flight. Artistic explorations inspired by Benedictus de Spinoza. Amsterdam-Rijnsburg [1997], p. 139-141.

Die Lebensgeschichte Spinozas. Zweite, stark erweiterte und volständig neu kommentierte Auflage der Ausgabe von Jakob Freudenthal 1899. Mit einer Bibliographie herausgegeben von Manfred Walter unter Mitarbeit von Michael Czelinski. Band I: Lebensbeschreibungen und Dokumente, p. 95; 377-378; Band II: Kommentar, p. 51-54; 248. Stuttgart Bad Cannstatt 2006.