[Portrait by J. G. Auerbach and J. E. Haid].

Augsburg, J. E. Haid, 1781. Single sheet (22.0 x 13.4 cm), printed on one side. = A fine portrait of the mathematician, physicist and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716). After a drawing by the Austrian painter Johann Gottfried Auerbach 1697-1753), made in 1714, engraved in 1781 by the German painter and engraver Johann Elias Haid (1739-1809). Oval portrait, showing Leibniz as a middle-aged man, with a Latin poem by the German historian and linguist Johann Georg von Eckhart (1664-1730), here “Latinized” as Eccard. Eckhart was born in Duingen. After preparatory training at Schulpforta, he went to Leipzig where, at the desire of his mother, he studied theology at first. But he soon turned his attention to philology and history. Owing to his extensive educcation, he was useful to Gottfried Leibniz, who in 1694 took Eckhart on as his assistant; Leibniz was, until death, Eckhart's large-hearted patron and generous friend. Through the efforts of Leibniz, Eckhart was appointed professor of history at Helmstedt in 1706, and in 1714 councillor at Hannover (see Wikipedia). Some minor spotting to the lower end and a faint crease to upper top right corner, otherwise very good, with a fine, strong impression.