Hans Holbein the Younger, Volume 2 (of 2) — John Shaqi
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
On the open paper lying on the table is inscribed, in imitation of the
sitter’s handwriting:
“_Jesus Christus._
“Da ick was 33 jar alt was ick Deryck Tybis to London dyser
gestalt en hab dyser gelicken den mark gesch[rieben] myt myner
eigenen Hant en was Holpein malt anno 1533. per my Deryck
[device here] Tybis fan Drys[burch].”
(“When I was 33 years old, I, Deryck Tybis, in London, had this
appearance, and I have marked this portrait with my device in my
own hand, and it was painted by Holbein in the year 1533, by me
Deryck (here stands the device) Tybis von Drys....”)
The device, a combination of crosses, is repeated on the seal on the
table, with the letters D.T., reversed, on either side of it. There is a
somewhat similar device on some of the letters in Georg Gisze’s
portrait. The address on the second letter, lying in front of him, is
now almost illegible. There is no inscription on the background. The
writer has found no reference to Tybis in the English State Papers.
The fourth Steelyard portrait of 1533, that of Cyriacus Fallen, in the
Brunswick Gallery,[46] is also a half-length, about half the size of
life. Like Derich Tybis, the sitter is shown full-face, looking at the
spectator. His hair is cut in the customary Steelyard fashion, and he is
clean-shaven. His black cap is set rather jauntily on one side, and his
black overcoat has a very heavy fur collar, while his fore-sleeves are
of brown silk with a pattern, as in the Wedigh portrait. The neck of his
white embroidered shirt is just visible over the collar. In his hands he
holds his gloves and two letters, superscribed with his name and address
in London. These addresses are not very legible. Dr. Woltmann at first
supposed the Christian name to be Ambrose, but further examination
proved it to be Cyriacus. One of the inscriptions is: “Dem Ersamen
syryacussfalen zu luden vp Stalhoff sy disser briff”; and the other:
“Dem Ersamen f. ... syriakus fallenn in Lunde ... stalhuff sy dies....”
Footnote 46:
Woltmann, 126. Reproduced in _The Masterpieces of Holbein_ (Gowan’s
Art Books, No. 13), p. 34; Ganz, _Holbein_, p. 99. Reinach gives the
surname as Kale, _Répertoire des Peintures_, Vol. ii. p. 518.
On the green background, on either side of the sitter’s head, is
inscribed his motto, “Patient in all things,” his age, and the date:
IN ALS GEDOLTIG SIS ALTERS. 32.
· ANNO · · 1533 ·
Fallen has a broad face, and a somewhat stolid expression; like his
fellow merchants, he has been placed upon the panel with absolute truth
and precision, without a touch of flattery. The eyes, hands, and dress
are still in excellent condition, but the head, unfortunately, has
suffered greatly in the course of time, and has been much rubbed and
overcleaned, and retouched in numerous places.[47]
Footnote 47:
Restored in 1892 by Hauser.
[Illustration:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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