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
Van Mander’s book was not published until 1604, thirty years later than
this incident, and it is, of course, quite possible that either he or
Zuccaro made a mistake as to the ownership of the picture and the place
where it had been seen; but the statement is very definite, and must be
taken into consideration in tracing the portrait’s history. In any case,
there is no doubt that Lord Lumley owned it in 1590, and that he was a
lover of Holbein’s works, of which he possessed a considerable number,
most of which have been referred to individually in preceding pages,
among them the great cartoon of Henry VII and Henry VIII belonging to
the Duke of Devonshire, and portraits of Erasmus, Sir Thomas More, and
Sir Henry and Lady Guideford, and the book of the Windsor drawings, all
of which are entered in the inventory as “drawne” or “doone” by “Haunce
Holbyn.” In Lord Lumley’s collection were also portraits of Sir Nicholas
Carew, Sir Thomas Lovell, the elder and the younger Sir Thomas Wyat, and
Sir Thomas Hennege, some of which also may well have been by Holbein,
though no artist’s name is placed against them in the list.
[Sidenote: HISTORY OF THE PICTURE]
For many years Lord Lumley resided at Nonsuch. The erection of this
palace was begun by Henry VIII in the year in which the Duchess was
painted. The house, of which Toto was probably the chief architect or
decorator,[280] was unfinished at the King’s death, and remained so
during the reign of Edward VI; but in that of Mary it was completed by
the Earl of Arundel, who had become possessed of it, “after the first
intent and meaning of the said King his old maister.” Here Lord Lumley
resided with his wife and father-in-law until the Earl’s death in 1580,
when he became its owner. He added the front quadrangle, and entertained
Queen Elizabeth there on more than one occasion. From his hands it
reverted to the Crown in 1591 in exchange for other property. No doubt
Lord Lumley’s collection of pictures remained at Nonsuch until that
year, and very possibly the inventory, dated 1590, was drawn up in
preparation for the removal of the works of art when this transfer of
estates took place.[281]
Footnote 280:
See Vol. i. pp. 276-7.
Footnote 281:
See Cust, _Burlington Magazine_, vol. xiv., March 1909, pp. 366-8, and
_The Times_, May 5, 1909; A. W. Franks, _Archæologia_, vol. xxxix. p.
35.
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