Hieronymus Westonius (Richard Weston, Earl of Portland)
Original title: Hieronymus Westonius (Richard Weston, Earl of Portland)
kurzbeschreibung
Richard Weston, Earl of Portland, sits with measured dignity for this 1645 print by Wenceslaus Hollar. The etching survives in the second of three states and presents the seventeenth-century nobleman as a figure fully conscious of his rank.
Description
A broad white collar, close to a ruff in effect, rests over the dark and costly coat. Beard and moustache are carefully shaped, and the gaze runs straight at the viewer, lending the image something direct. The sitter holds himself upright, hands resting on a table, which reinforces the dignified bearing. A Latin dedication at the foot of the sheet names his titles and origins. Fine lines and hatching keep the motif monochrome, with light spread evenly to draw out the contours.
Context
Wenceslaus Hollar, an etcher from Bohemia, worked in England and made this portrait in 1645. Richard Weston, Earl of Portland, was an English nobleman and courtier under King Charles I. The years of its making fell amid the political upheaval of the English Civil War. Hollar stood out for minutely observed likenesses and topographic views.
Impact
Even light and delicate linework give the sheet a quiet, dignified mood. Because the sitter looks directly at the viewer, an immediate connection forms.
Technique
Executed as an etching, as the fine lines and hatching make plain. The impression at hand is the second of three states reworked by the artist.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)