Benedikt von Hertenstein (born about 1495, died 1522)
Medium
Oil and gold on paper, laid down on wood
Dimensions
Overall 20 1/2 x 15 in. (52.4 x 38.1 cm); painted surface 20 3/8 x 14 5/8 in. (51.4 x 37.1 cm)
Classification
Paintings
Department
European Paintings
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, aided by subscribers, 1906
Accession Number
06.1038
Tags
Art Historical Context
Hans Holbein the Younger's *Benedikt von Hertenstein (1517) captures the poised likeness of a young Swiss nobleman, born around 1495 and tragically deceased at just 27. Painted when Holbein was in his early twenties, this early masterpiece from his Basel period exemplifies the Northern Renaissance's shift toward lifelike portraiture, blending Flemish precision with emerging Italian influences. Hertenstein, dressed in elegant attire, gazes directly at the viewer, his youthful features rendered with Holbein's hallmark clarity and psychological insight. The artwork's medium—oil and gold on paper...