Portrait of Bonifacius Amerbach

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Portrait of Bonifacius Amerbach by Hans Holbein the Younger (1519).jpg

The Portrait of Bonifacius Amerbach is a painting by the German master of the Renaissance Hans Holbein the Younger. It is deposited in the Basler Kunstmuseum as part of the Amerbach Cabinet.[1] It is painted in tempera on pinewood[2] and measures 29cm x 27cm.[1]

History[]

It was commissioned in 1519 by Bonifacius Amerbach, in order to leave a memory to his family in case he died during his stay in Avignon.[2] Holbein portrayed him shortly after his return from Lucerne to Basel.[3] Amerbach worked closely together with Hans Holbein while he was portrayed and composed the scripture in Latin letters hanging at a tree in the left of the painting by himself.[4] Modern research with infrared reflectography resulted in the assumption that Bonifacius had encouraged Hans Holbein to adapt the text, as Amerbach had prepared the original script for the painting which included COLORIBVS for colors, but in the painting LINEOLIS for lines is to be seen.[4] Through the analysis with infrared reflectography, the adaptions could be detected.[2][4] On the left right beside Amerbach there is a fig tree, while in background there are snowy mountains.[4] The 14 October 1519 refers to the birthday of Bonifacius Amerbach.[4] It is also one of the earliest paintings by Holbein as an accepted member of the painters guild of Basel, which he became on 25 September 1519.[4] As a member of the guild he was allowed to sign the painting with his full name.[4] A text drafted for a second portrait without beard was also found, but if such a painting was ever to be realized, is not known.[5][4] The painting became a part of the Amerbach cabinet, which was bought in its entirety in 1666 by the city of Basel and the University of Basel. Following the portrait was exhibited in two different locations near the Münster of Basel. In 1936 the Kunstmuseum Basel inaugurated a new building at the St. Alban Graben and currently the portrait is exhibited there.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ a b "Portrait of Bonifacius Amerbach by Holbein, Hans the Younger". www.wga.hu. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  2. ^ a b c "1495: Zum 500. Geburtstag des Bonifacius Amerbach - Basler Stadtbuch 1995". www.baslerstadtbuch.ch (in German). Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  3. ^ Die Malerfamilie Holbein in Basel. Kunstmuseum Basel. 1960. p. 180.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Müller, Christian (2006). Hans Holbein the Younger: The Basel Years, 1515-1532. Prestel. pp. 194–195. ISBN 978-3-7913-3580-3.CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ Müller, Michael (2001). "Holbeins Gemälde "Der Leichnam Christi im Grabe" und die Grabkapelle der Familie Amerbach in der Basler Kartause". Zeitschrift für schweizerische Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte. 58: 281.
  6. ^ "Geschichte der öffentlichen Kunstsammlung Basel". kunstmuseumbasel.ch. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
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