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
The two small roundels, which hitherto have always been regarded as
likenesses of Holbein himself, undoubtedly represent, as Dr. Ganz has
recently pointed out, the same individual as the sitter in the Windsor
picture, who, until his identity is finally settled, it is most
convenient to call Hans of Antwerp. The first is the beautiful little
painting on oak in the Salting collection,[32] in which the sitter is
shown in full-face, with a flat black cap, a gown lined with
light-coloured fur, and a dark under-coat or vest, cut straight across
the top, as in most of Holbein’s other Steelyard portraits. The left
hand only is shown, with a ring on the first finger. On the background
on either side of the head is the faded inscription “ETATIS SVÆ 35.” It
was possibly painted a year or two later than the Windsor portrait, to
which the likeness is very marked. If, however, the sitter really
represents Hans of Antwerp, and he was painted a second time by Holbein
about 1534-5, when 35 years of age, he must have been only a boy when he
settled in London in 1515. The second roundel is in Lord Spencer’s
collection at Althorp,[33] and this, too, has always been regarded as a
portrait of Holbein by himself. Here again the likeness to the Windsor
picture is a strong one, though the opposite side of the face is seen,
as he is shown in three-quarters profile to the spectator’s left. There
are slight variations in the dress, the undervest being lower, and
disclosing more of the white shirt. Some critics regard it as a genuine
work by Holbein, but Dr. Ganz places it among the doubtful and
wrongly-attributed pictures. He suggests that it is probably one of the
two roundels considered to be self-portraits by Holbein which C. van
Mander saw in Amsterdam in 1604, and was engraved by A. Stock as such in
1612 and published by H. Hondius. There is a replica of it in the
Provinzial Museum in Hanover.[34] All three works evidently represent
the same man, and at about the same age.
Footnote 32:
Exhibited Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1909, Case D, No. 1, and
reproduced in the Catalogue, Pl. xxxiv.; also by Ganz, _Holbein_, p.
114.
Footnote 33:
Reproduced by Ganz, _Holbein_, p. 226.
Footnote 34:
See Ganz, _Holbein_, p. 253.
In the same year, 1532, he painted another goldsmith, Hans von Zürich,
but the picture has disappeared, and is now only known from the
engraving Hollar made of it in 1647, when it was in the Arundel
collection. In the engraving he is shown at half-length, full-face, the
body turned slightly to the left, and is a thin man, with a pleasant
expression. It is inscribed on the top: “Hans von Zürch, Goltshmidt.
Hans Holbein, 1532,” and below, “W. Hollar fecit, 1647, ex collectione
Arundeliana,” and has a dedication by the publisher, H. Vander Borcht,
to Matthäus Merian.[35] The date indicates that Hans von Zürich must
have been living in London at that time, though his name does not occur
in the State Papers.
Footnote 35:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account