Mid-16th-century South German School, Portrait of a Nobleman - Antique Oil Painting

This historic mid-16th-century, half-length, South German School oil on panel depicts a gentleman wearing a fur-trimmed coat and black cap, while holding a small glass and, what appears to be, a pair of gloves.

During the 1540s, outfits became increasingly sombre, and dark tones increased in popularity. This was seen as a rejection of the frivolities of fashion, yet also conveyed the owner’s wealth, as black dye was exceedingly expensive. A gentleman's usual garments included a shirt and doublet, together with hose (for the upper part of the leg) and stockings (for the lower). Codpieces were also ‘de rigueur’.

In a portrait of The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V by Titian in 1548, he wears a similar ensemble to our sitter. Following many years of war with the Ottoman Empire, the severity of his outfit is unsurprising. While, Lucas Cranach the Elder’s portrait of Elector Frederic the Wise and Hans Muelich’s (1516-1573) portrait of a man from 1548 are also interesting to compare.

From a compositional point of view, the portrait is rather unusual due to a) the gentleman’s relatively low position and b) the ratio of height to width. In addition, the partial curtain above is a rather odd inclusion. However, when compared with several 16th-century triptychs, the piece can be contextualised. In our view, this is the left wing of a triptych, which contained a centre panel displaying the lineage of the family. It’s highly likely that the sitter’s wife was displayed, facing inwards, on the right wing. The reverse bears a coat of arms, which would be visible once closed, such as this example at the Rijksmuseum.

Despite an extensive search, we’ve been unable to link the coat of arms with a specific family, as there are several examples of similar arms in various armorials. It features extensive mantling, tied to the helmet, which is representative of the cloth covering worn by knights.

The work is unsigned, but its DNA appears to stem from South Germany. Born in Augsburg, Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1497-1543) was a key influence in this region.

Held in a later frame.

Medium: Oil on panel

Overall size: 14” x 28” / 35cm x 71cm

Year of creation: c. 1550

Provenance: Private collection, Karlsruhe, Germany.

Condition: Cleaned. Areas of fine and settled craquelure, as you would expect. Historic areas of retouching. The paint layer is stable. Slight bow to panel. Frame with various marks and showing its age.

Our reference: BRV2161