Nicasius Roussel, Nicasius Rousseel or Nicasius Russell (died 1646) was a Flemish goldsmith, jewelry merchant, draftsman, engraver (printmaker) and court artist who worked in London for James I, Anne of Denmark, and Charles I. He became a naturalized citizen of England in 1608. [1]
Nicasius Roussel was born in Bruges and came to London in 1567 or 1573. He had family connections with Isaac Oliver and Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger. [2] He became a naturalized citizen of England in 1608. [1]
He made seven ebony pedestals and portraits of men cast in plaster of paris for Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales. [3]
Nicasius Roussel made 12 gold pieces for a chain with knots set with sparks of diamonds for Anne of Denmark. The chain may have used as a prop in The Masque of Beauty . [4]
He dismantled and melted down jewellery belonging to Anna of Denmark in 1609, 1610, and 1611 to make gold plate and aglets, some set with diamonds, and buttons set with rubies and pearls. [5] One of the old jewels had already lost a diamond in 1603 to a jewel for king's hat made in the shape of the letter "I" by John Spilman and William Herrick. [6] This "I" or "J" was sent to Spain in 1623. [7]
He sold a portrait of a young man by George Pencz to Prince Charles. This painting is still in the Royal Collection. [8]
In 1623 a book was published in London under the title De Grotesco. Per utilis atq omnibus quibus pertinebit valde necessari Liber per Nicasius Rousseel ornatissimo, generosissimo atq variarum artium peritissimo viro Domino G Heriot. It contained prints engraved by Johan Barra (or Bara, or Jan Barra) after designs by Roussel and was dedicated to the Scottish goldsmith to the court and philanthropist George Heriot. [9] Each page consists of a frame filled with grotesques composed of human masks and animal and bird monsters attached to plant forms. [10] In 1644 a Dutch language version of 12 of the plates was published in Amsterdam by Claes Jansz. Visscher under the title Seer aerdige / GROTISSEN / dienstich / alle die de Teyckenkonst hanteren / getekent door / Nicasius Rouseel / gedruckt bÿ / CJVisscher. A.o / 1644. This set was subsequently re-issued probably by Nicolaes Visscher II around 1680 and by Joannes de Ram in 1684. [11]
Nicasius Roussel married Jacomina Wils on 21 April 1590. He remarried after the death of his wife to Clara Johnson in the Dutch church on 27 November 1604. His second wife was reportedly the sister of the painter Cornelius Johnson. [1]
His daughter Elizabeth married John Symcotts of Iseworth. [12] His son Nicasius was a clockmaker. Another son named Theodore (born in 1614) was a painter, who produced copies of portraits by Anthony van Dyck.
The Masque of Beauty was a courtly masque written by Ben Jonson, and performed in London's Whitehall Palace on 10 January 1608. It inaugurated the refurbished banquesting hall of the palace. It was a sequel to the preceding Masque of Blackness, which had been performed three years earlier, on 6 January 1605. In The Masque of Beauty, the "daughters of Niger" of the earlier piece were shown cleansed of the black pigment they had worn on the prior occasion.
A zibellino, flea-fur or fur tippet is a women's fashion accessory popular in the later 15th and 16th centuries. A zibellino, from the Italian word for "sable", is the pelt of a sable or marten worn draped at the neck or hanging at the waist, or carried in the hand. The plural is zibellini. Some zibellini were fitted with faces and paws of goldsmith's work with jeweled eyes and pearl earrings, while unadorned furs were also fashionable.
Sir John Spilman was a Lindau, German-born entrepreneur who founded the first commercially successful paper-mill in England, establishing a factory on the River Darenth in Dartford, Kent in 1588. Spilman was also jeweller to Queen Elizabeth I, and was knighted by King James I.
Sir William Herrick or Hericke was an English jeweller, courtier, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1601 and 1622.
Sir Francis Stuart or Frank Stewart (1589–1635), sailor, aristocrat, Member of Parliament and courtier
Costume and gold and silver plate belonging to Elizabeth I were recorded in several inventories, and other documents including rolls of New Year's Day gifts. Arthur Jefferies Collins published the Jewels and Plate of Queen Elizabeth I: The Inventory of 1574 from manuscripts in 1955. The published inventory describes jewels and silver-plate belonging to Elizabeth with detailed references to other source material. Two inventories of Elizabeth's costume and some of her jewellery were published by Janet Arnold in Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlocke'd.
The Chequers Ring is one of the few surviving pieces of jewellery worn by Queen Elizabeth I of England. The mother-of-pearl ring, set with gold and rubies, includes a locket with two portraits, one depicting Elizabeth and the other traditionally identified as Elizabeth's mother Anne Boleyn, but possibly her step-mother Catherine Parr. The ring is presently housed at Chequers, the country house of the prime minister of the United Kingdom.
Anne Livingstone, Countess of Eglinton was a Scottish courtier and aristocrat, and lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth and Anne of Denmark.
The Great 'H' of Scotland was a jewel belonging to Mary, Queen of Scots comprising a large diamond, a ruby, and a gold chain. It was broken up in 1604 and made into the Mirror of Great Britain for James VI and I.
Dorothy Silking, was a Danish courtier, one of the chamberers in the household of Anne of Denmark.
James Maxwell, 1st Earl of Dirletoun was a Scottish courtier and landowner, and Black Rod. He was involved in selling royal jewels.
Sir Francis Gofton was an English courtier and administrator. He was an auditor of royal accounts and jewels, Chief Auditor of the Imprest from 1597 and Auditor of Mint from August 1603. Gofton acquired the manor of Heathrow, and houses in Stockwell and West Ham. He was often called "Auditor Gofton". The surname is frequently transcribed as "Goston" or "Guston"
Arnold Lulls was a Flemish goldsmith and jeweller in London. He served the court and made several pieces intended as diplomatic gifts.
Nicolò Molin (1562-1608) was a Venetian noble and ambassador to England.
George Kirke was a Scottish-born courtier and Member of Parliament for Clitheroe.
The jewels of Anne of Denmark (1572–1619), wife of James VI and I and queen consort of Scotland and England, are known from accounts and inventories, and their depiction in portraits by artists including Paul van Somer. A few pieces survive. Some modern historians prefer the name "Anna" to "Anne", following the spelling of numerous examples of her signature.
Sir Duncan Campbell, 1st Baronet of Glenorchy (1545-1631) was a powerful Scottish landowner, courtier and favourite of Queen Anne of Denmark. He was the progenitor of the Earls of Breadalbane and Holland.
An inventory of the jewels of Mary I of England, known as Princess Mary in the years 1542 to 1546, was kept by her lady in waiting Mary Finch. The manuscript is now held by the British Library. It was published by Frederic Madden in 1831. Some pieces are listed twice. Two surviving drawings feature a ribbon with the inscription, "MI LADI PRINSIS".
Philip Jacobson was a London goldsmith who worked for James VI and I and Anne of Denmark.
Hans Poppilman was a Danish cook who served Anne of Denmark in Scotland and England.
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