Theodor van Kessel

Theodor van Kessel
Born	1620
Died	1696
Nationality	Netherlands

Theodor or Théodorus van Kessel (1620 – 1696) was a Southern Netherlands engraver for David Teniers the Younger in Brussels, who made significant contributions to his Theatrum Pictorium.

Little is known of his early life, but in 1652 he settled in Antwerp and in 1679 an engraver by the name Theodor Andreas van Kessel became a member of the Antwerp guild who became guild inspector in 1688.^[1] He is known for several series of prints after other artists, among them are 10 plates of animals he made in 1654 for Jan van den Hecke entitled Alcune Animali. Van den Hecke was court painter at the time for Archduke Leopold Wilhelm and after he died his post was filled by Teniers, which is probably how Van Kessel came to work for him.

• 
  Engraving of Susanna and the Elders after a painting by Guido Reni for the Theatrum Pictorium^[2]
• 
  Portrait of Adam van Vianen from the book with 48 plates by Van Kessel for Vianen's son Christiaen van Vianen^[3]
• 
  Landscape with Four Dogs (from Alcune Animali)

References

1. KESSEL, Theodorus van (born 1620), Engraver in Bénézit
2. Record for the model by Teniers in the RKD from which this was engraved
3. Modelli Artificiosi di Vasi diversi d'argento et altre Opere capriciozi , by Christiaen van Vianen, Utrecht, 1646-1652