Edward VI
Original title: Edward VI
kurzbeschreibung
In 1650 Wenceslaus Hollar portrayed the young King Edward VI. This etching, known in a single state, is based on a model by Hans Holbein the Younger and shows the ruler in sumptuous attire.
Description
A child stands upright and looks directly at the viewer. On the head is an ornate headpiece with feathers; the garment is lavishly decorated with ruffles and embroidery. The arms are slightly raised, as if the figure were about to explain something. At the bottom of the sheet is a Latin text block that provides information about the young king. The background remains empty, so that the figure and the inscription draw all the attention.
Context
Hollar etched this portrait in 1650, more than a hundred years after Edward VI's death in 1553. The model was a work by Hans Holbein the Younger, court painter to Henry VIII. Hollar was known for reproducing older artworks with great fidelity and making them known to a wider audience through etchings.
Impact
The precise rendering of face and clothing gives the portrait high precision and an appearance of historical reliability. Even lighting and a calm layout make the sheet appear dignified and put the person of the young king at the center.
Technique
The etching, of which only one state is known, was printed on paper. This technique allows fine lines and hatching to be set that capture fabric textures and facial features precisely. The even distribution of light corresponds to 17th-century printing practice.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)