Portrait of a Nobleman

This nobleman strikes a fashionable and assertive pose considered appropriate for men of action: arms akimbo, one hand grasping the hilt of his sword. The unknown artist, active in southern Germany or Switzerland, looked to the work of Holbein for a model, adopting his concentrated attention and subtlety of description. The composition is simple, but sophisticated: the relationship of figure to frame was calculated to focus attention and create a sense of shallow depth. The slight torque in his body creates a sense of stilled energy – a momentary rest. Frame: ebonized veneer with bone and horn inlay over wooden substructure. Germany, first half 17th century