Artist. He is remembered, as a Bohemian-born English 17th century artist, for his engravings and etchings. His pieces richly documented the happenings of his time. Although little is known about his youth, his parents were Jan and Market Hollar, who were of noble birth. Born in what is in the 21st century the Czech Republic, he left his homeland in 1627 for Germany, studying his trade in Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Stuttgart between 1629 and 1630, Cologne by 1633 and the Netherlands in 1634. At this point, he joined with the service of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, traveling to Austria on the way to England. He immigrated to London, England in 1637 before relocating to Antwerp, Belgium between 1644 and 1652, when he returned to London. Sources claim he served as an artist with the Royalist during the English Civil War. From 1668 to 1669, he joined with Lord Henry Howard on his expedition to Tangiers, documenting the trip. He did graphic illustrations of numerous books, producing 3,000 plates. He documented the city of London before the Great Fire. One book was "Views of London," which documented London after the Great Fire of 1666. He produced etchings of people as well as buildings, such as castles. He produced 4,700 prints. He produced hundreds of copper engraving documenting people and buildings, yet he had a poor business sense. Dying in poverty, his last words were addressed to the bailiffs asking them not to remove his bed. His wife sold most of his work after his death. His original grave marker was damaged during World War II and replaced in 1972. Richard Godfrey's 1994 biography, "Wenceslaus Hollar: A Bohemian Artist in England," gives the details of his life. Since Emperor Ferdinand II issued an edict on July 31, 1627, that obligated Bohemian nobility, like Hollar's family, to convert and become Catholics or go into exile, he may have left his homeland in exile, as his family were protestants.