Hans Holbein the Younger, Volume 2 (of 2)Chamberlain, Arthur B. (Arthur Bensley)
History
Hans Holbein the Younger, Volume 2 (of 2)
Chamberlain, Arthur B. (Arthur Bensley)
Holbein, Hans, 1497-1543 -- Criticism and interpretation; Painters -- Germany -- Biography
Woltmann, too, was of opinion that this small panel was not an original
work by Holbein. “We cannot find in the picture at Windsor,” he says
“that freedom and bold masterly style which absolutely belong to a
sketch from life, and which alone could have excited such lively
admiration in John Hutton. The picture at Windsor is very pretty and
graceful, but has something almost sober in its treatment. It can indeed
be just as little a copy from the large painting. It exhibits some
differences in the costume, for instance, a somewhat larger fur collar,
and another position of the fingers, although the characteristic
attitude of the hands is essentially the same. Christina also wears
three rings instead of a single one; namely, a black widow’s ring on the
little finger of the right hand, and on the next finger a gold hoop with
a square black stone. We might, therefore, believe that this is a copy
by another hand of the sketch Holbein painted from life. In favour of
this opinion, we find the head, which the sketch naturally gave most
distinctly, by far the best part of the painting, while the rest, which
was only indicated in the sketch, appears far weaker.”[269]
Footnote 269:
Woltmann, 1st ed., English translation, pp. 426-7.
Sir George Scharf describes with care the many small differences between
the two works. In addition to the three rings instead of one, mentioned
by Woltmann, the fur of the dress in the smaller picture is much deeper
and has every appearance of being a wide fur collar separate from and
placed over the black dress. In the larger portrait the fur is much
narrower, and evidently forms the lining and collar of the outer robe, a
narrow edging of it being shown down the front. In the National Gallery
picture, too, this outer robe is open several inches in front, showing
the under-dress of black and the knotted ribbon at the waist, all of
which are missing in the Windsor panel. Again, though the hands holding
the gloves have the same general position in both, the position of the
fingers shows considerable variation. In the smaller portrait the two
last fingers of the right hand and the two middle ones of the left are
bent inwards; in the larger, the only bent fingers are the two last of
the left hand. There are some other minor differences which need not be
specified.
Both pictures at one time belonged to Henry VIII, and are included in
the inventory of that King’s “money, jewels, plate, utensils, apparel,
wardrobe stuffs, goods and chattels, consigned to the care of Sir
Anthony Denny at Westminster.” The volume, now in the Record Office, is
dated April 24, 1542. They appear again in a similar inventory, made
after Henry’s death, taken “by vertue of a Commission under the greate
seale of England, bearing date at Westminster the viij day of September,
in the first year of our Sovereyne Lord Edwarde the Sixte” (1547). In
these, the smaller panel is described as “Item, a Table with a Picture
of the Duchesse of Myllayne.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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