Vaclav Hollar ( July 13, 1607 in Prague - March 25, 1677 in London ) graphic artist, engraver and draftsman

He was known under the Latinized form of the name Wenceslaus Hollar Bohemus or the Germanized Wenzel Hollar. From 1627 he worked in the workshops in Frankfurt am Main with Matthäus Merian, in Strasbourg, in Cologne and in Antwerp. From 1636 he worked in the service of Count Thomas Howard of Arundel, with whom he got to England.
From the beginning of his stay in London he was a successful and sought-after engraver. In London, Hollar was no longer working solely for Lord Arundel, but had been employed by graphic dealers who had provided enough orders for him. In 1642, Hollar entered the service of King Charles I. When the king was deposed, Hollar was captured and imprisoned, but escaped from prison and went to Lord Arundel in Antwerp. Hollar then stayed in Antwerp from 1644 to 1652. After 1652, he worked on illustrations by ancient authors, and was a sought-after illustrator of scientific publications. In 1674 Hollar published a cycle of sheets of Dutch merchant ships and warships.
He was remarked by the death of his son in a plague epidemic, he experienced a great fire in London in 1666. Although he spent most of his life abroad, he remained Czech and always showed it. Despite his artistic achievements and acclaimed status, he was plagued by poverty at the end of his life and was buried in a common grave for deaths in a small cemetery at St. Margaret in Westminster. His graphic work is very extensive and his subject index is extremely rich. He achieved world renown as the author of master etchings.
He was one of the most important European graphic designers with his genre extensiveness, perfect graphic design and effort to accurately depict reality. His highlights include landscapes and panoramic views of the city. Hollar was also involved in graphic design of costumes, engravings of insects and shells. He liked copying the paintings of Dutch masters he met during his eight-year stay in Antwerp. According to his drawings from a short visit to Prague in 1636, he also created a well-known great view of Prague.
Many of his prints can be found at the British Museum in London and the library at Windsor Castle.