Portrait of Cornelius Bentivolius

This impressive full-length portrait of Cornelius Bentivolius, a distinguished figure of the sixteenth century, was engraved by Dominicus Custos after a design by Giovanni Battista Fontana. Bentivolius is shown standing in a commanding pose, wearing a beautifully adorned breastplate and helmet that emphasize the richness and craftsmanship of his armor. He is framed within an architectural niche flanked by ornate Corinthian columns, evoking the grandeur of classical portraiture and underscoring his nobility and martial stature.

Printed in 1605 as part of the third edition of Armamentarium Heroicum, this portrait belongs to a monumental series of 125 engravings depicting the celebrated arms collection of Archduke Ferdinand of Tyrol, preserved at Ambras Palace near Innsbruck. Based on drawings by Fontana, the series combines engraving, etching, and woodcut techniques, and each portrait is accompanied by a Latin biography written by the Archduke's secretary, Jacob Schrenck von Notzing. Conceived as both a visual inventory and a work of imperial celebration, the Armamentarium Heroicum reflects the artistic and intellectual ambitions of late sixteenth- and early seventeenth-century German printmaking.