Panel - 70 x 50.8 cm - M.D.XLIII.DE.XX.NOVEMB[R]E/.AETATIS.XXVPortraits, XVth and XVIth paintings
Provenance:
• Baron Farnham, Farnham, Cavan, Northern Ireland.
Anchored in the repertoire of forms established by the German School, though also original in terms of the inscription on the...
read moreProvenance:
• Baron Farnham, Farnham, Cavan, Northern Ireland.
Anchored in the repertoire of forms established by the German School, though also original in terms of the inscription on the top left of the painting, this portrait of a young man belongs to the great tradition of mid-16th century portrait painting. The great quality of its execution is a unique example of the exceptional talent of the master of the portrait of Andreas Hertwig.
Formerly associated with a master from the entourage of Bartholomeus Bruyn, our portrait of a young man has links with a portrait kept in the collections of the Nuremberg Museum. The person in the painting has been identified as Andreas Hertwig (1511-1575), advisor to Ferdinand I. We can confidently draw a parallel with our panel of the advisor thanks to the inscription at the top of both paintings, which serves as a reference for the attribution of this master’s works.
Dated 20th November 1543, this portrait is the production of the 16th century Silesian School. The young, 25-year old man is shown wearing a rich garment made of black fur and velvet. Firmly set against a most elegant green background, this magnificent portrait undoubtedly belongs to the German School, still strongly influenced by the style of Lucas Cranach. The artist uses the relevant codes: the use of a neutral background, a closely cropped head and shoulders view, emphasis on a both peaceful and secret facial expression. The subject’s gaze – a mirror of the soul according to the followers of Erasmus – is highlighted here by a natural and uniform light, directed in such a way as to outline the face’s contours. The heavy mantle worn by the young man is painted in a remarkable way: the most subtle nuances make the black of the velvet and that of the rich fur vibrate. The small matching bonnet completes the outfit. The hands – with two rings adorning the left-hand index finger – reinforce the contrast between the dark and light colours that punctuate the entire portrait.
Benefiting from a remarkable state of conservation, this wonderfully-sized portrait is sure to delight the most well-informed lovers of the genre.
Literature : C.L. Kuhn, A catalogue of German Paintings of the Middle Ages and Renaissance in American collections, Cambridge, 1936, p. 71, no. 306, pl. LXI, as 'Hans Mielich'. M. J. Friedländer and J. Rosenberg, The Paintings of Lucas Cranach, Berlin, 1932, p. 91, no. 334.b, as 'Perhaps by Lucas Cranach the Younger. M. J. Friedländer and J. Rosenberg, The Paintings of Lucas...read more Literature : C.L. Kuhn, A catalogue of German Paintings of the Middle Ages and Renaissance in American collections, Cambridge, 1936, p. 71, no. 306, pl. LXI, as 'Hans Mielich'. M. J. Friedländer and J. Rosenberg, The Paintings of Lucas Cranach, Berlin, 1932, p. 91, no. 334.b, as 'Perhaps by Lucas Cranach the Younger. M. J. Friedländer and J. Rosenberg, The Paintings of Lucas Cranach, Ithaca, 1978, p. 153, no. 415A, as 'Perhaps by Lucas Cranach the Younger. K. Löcher, Hans Mielich, Munich, 2002, p. 242, no. 58, pl. 100
Exhibitions : Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, European Paintings by Old and Modern Masters, 13 June-5 August 1934, no. 20, as 'Hans Mielich'.
Flint, Michigan Institute of Arts, Exhibition of Paintings by Old Masters, 15 September-7 October 1945, no. 5, as 'Hans Mielich'.
Caracas, Museo de Bellas Artes, Galeria Wildenstein: Exposición de pinturas y dibujos, November-December 1959, no. 1, as 'Lucas Cranach the Elder'.
More informations
Active in Silesia in the second third of the 16th century (an area in southern Poland which belonged to the Habsburg Empire at the time).
Often associated with an artist in the circle of Christophe Amberger, this artist, known as the “master of the portrait of Andreas Hertwig”, is famous for a very particular reason. He added notes to each of his paintings indicating the days, months and years of production. Widely influenced by the works of Cranach the Elder, this artist is known for his intimist portraits, whose delicate details and precise dating tell us something of the manners of that time.
