Jakob Meyer zum Hasen

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Hans Holbein the Younger, Jakob Meyer zum Hasen (1516), left panel of a double portrait with Dorothea Kannengiesser. Oil on wood, each panel 38.5 × 31 cm, Kunstmuseum Basel, Inv. Nr. 312

Jakob Meyer zum Hasen (1482 in Basel – 1531 in Freiburg im Breisgau) was the bürgermeister of the city of Basel from 1516 to 1521. A money changer by profession, he was the first bürgermeister of Basel to be a tradesman, belonging to a guild[1] rather than the aristocracy or a wealthy family. He is known as a patron of the painter Hans Holbein the Younger, having commissioned the Darmstadt Madonna and a double portrait from him.[2]

Biography[]

He was born in Basel as the son of a merchant.[3] He used to change money in the House "To the Rabbit" (dt. Zum Hasen), which was situated at the location of the tower of the current town hall.[3] From 1503 onwards he was accepted as a member several guilds, such as the guild of the Hausgenossen like all money changers, then also the one of the wine merchants and then the one of the locksmiths.[3] By 1508 he was so rich that he purchased the Castle of Gross Gundeldingen in the suburbs of Basel.[3] From 1510 and 1515 he was the Master of the Guild zu Hausgenossen.[3] In 1515, the Grand Council of Basel cancelled the tradition according to which the mayor had to be of the local aristocracy.[4] and Meyer became the mayor of Basel in 1516. In the same year, he commissioned a double portrait with his second wife Dorothea Kannengießer from Hans Holbein the Younger.[3] As the mayor of Basel, he sacked the castle of Pfeffingen.[1] He remained the mayor of Basel until 1521, the year he was accused of receiving secret pensions from France.[1] Von Hasen and six other grand councillors were expelled form the Grand Council[4] following which he was imprisoned.[1] After his release he re-entered the Grand Council of Basel, where he was a member of the Catholic Party.[1] In later years he went into voluntary exile to Freiburg im Breisgau, where he died in 1531.[1]

Military career[]

In his twenties he was a member of the Swiss soldiers in service of the French, Italian or Papal nobility which was a lucrative business at the time. In 1507 he joined Amboise to reconquer Genoa.[1] Later in his foreign military service, he often changed sides. First he fought for France, then for Pope Julius II against France.[1] He also fought in the service of Maximilian Sforza, and then also against him under the standard of Pope Leo X.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Stein, Wilhelm (1920). Holbein der Jüngere. Berlin: Julius Bard Verlag. pp. 28–29.
  2. ^ Nikolaus Meier: Die Krone der Maria. In: Bodo Brinkmann: Der Bürgermeister, sein Maler und seine Familie: Hans Holbeins Madonna im Städel. Petersberg 2004, pp. 63–77.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Müller, Christian (2006). Hans Holbein the Younger: The Basel Years, 1515-1532. Prestel. pp. 58–59. ISBN 978-3-7913-3580-3.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b Berner, Hans. "Meyer zum Hasen, Jakob - Deutsche Biographie". www.deutsche-biographie.de (in German). Retrieved 2021-08-05.

Further reading[]

All of the following sources are in German.

  • Martin Alioth, Ulrich Barth, Dorothee Huber: Basler Stadtgeschichte. Vol. 2, Basel 1981.
  • Bodo Brinkmann: Der Bürgermeister, sein Maler und seine Familie: Hans Holbeins Madonna im Städel. Imhof, Petersberg 2004, ISBN 3-937251-24-3.
  •  [de]: Geschichte der Stadt Basel. Vol. 3, Basel, 1924, Reprint 1968.
  • August Bernoulli (1885), "Meyer zum Hasen, Jakob", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB) (in German), 21, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, pp. 581–582

External links[]

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