A bearded man after Hans Holbein (?)
Original title: A bearded man after Hans Holbein (?)
kurzbeschreibung
Wenceslaus Hollar etched this portrait of a bearded man in 1646. The black-and-white print shows a pensive head wearing a cap and jacket, turned toward the left.
Description
Dense stubble and a carefully drawn face define the head, whose gaze drifts slightly left. A broad cap sits on top; the jacket has a turned-up sleeve, and the arms are folded across the chest. A plain, light ground brings the figure forward. At upper left is a handwritten inscription with the artist's name and the year; at right, another note suggests a collection. Finest lines and hatching shape the monochrome image.
Context
The Bohemian Wenceslaus Hollar worked as a printmaker in England and on the Continent during the 17th century. This etching, made in 1646, was likely a reproduction after a design by Hans Holbein the Younger, a leading Renaissance painter. Such prints circulated portraits of well-known people. The inscriptions point to a collection, suggesting a provenance from a Kunstkammer.
Impact
The man's quiet, withdrawn posture creates a contemplative mood. Precise linework and a clear layout yield a detailed rendering that rewards close looking.
Technique
An etching in a single state and in black and white, the sheet uses fine lines and hatching to build tone and texture. It measures 9.6 × 6.8 cm and is trimmed just inside the plate mark.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)