← Wenceslaus Hollar

Sir William Butts

Original title: Sir William Butts

Artist

Wenceslaus Hollar

Date

1649

Medium

Etching, first state of three NH)

Dimensions

Sheet: 5 3/16 × 3 5/8 in. (13.2 × 9.2 cm) cut on and fractionally within the platemark

Credit line

The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951

kurzbeschreibung

A bust-length portrait of Sir William Butts, etched by Wenceslaus Hollar in 1649 after a model by Hans Holbein the Younger. This impression is the first of three states.

Description

A fur-trimmed coat and a fur hat frame the sitter's face, which carries a full beard and short, wavy hair. His gaze is serious and thoughtful. The background stays plain, with horizontal lines that create a simple, almost monochrome structure. Along the lower edge run the inscriptions 'H. Holbein inv. W. Rollar fecit. 1649. Adam Alexius Bierling exc.'

Context

The model was a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger from around 1540. Holbein, court painter to Henry VIII of England, portrayed many members of the court, including Sir William Butts, an English physician and scholar in the king's inner circle. The Bohemian printmaker Hollar was known for his faithful reproductions after older masters.

Impact

Precise contours and fine shading give the sheet a calm, dignified presence. The reduced color and plain background direct the gaze entirely to the sitter's features, creating an intimate and serious atmosphere.

Technique

In this etching, the lines were incised into a metal plate and bitten with acid. Hollar used a fine needle technique to bring out the details of the fur and the facial features. The sheet measures 13.2 × 9.2 cm, is trimmed, and lies within the plate edge.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)