Sir William Butts

Art Historical Context

This delicate etching, titled *Sir William Butts* dated 1649, is a first-state impression by the masterful Bohemian printmaker Wenceslaus Hol, created after a portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger.bein, the renowned Tudor court painter, likely depicted Sir William Butts (c. 1543), Henry VIII's personal physician, capturing the sitter's dignified poise and scholarly attire. Hollar's reproduction pays homage to this Renaissance original, with contributions noted from Adam Alexius Bierling, possibly in publishing or collaboration. Measuring just 5 3/16 × 3 5/8 inches, the sheet is cut close to the platemark, emphasizing its intimate scale. Etching allowed Hollar to meticulously translate Holbein's oil portrait into a reproducible print, showcasing fine lines and subtle textures that evoke the fur collar and intricate facial details. As a first state of three, this rare version retains untouched elements before later reworkings, making it a prized example of 17th-century printmaking technique. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department from The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, it bridges Tudor portraiture and Baroque reproduction, preserving Holbein's legacy for wider audiences. In the virtual gallery, gaze closely at Hollar's precision—each stroke revives a key figure from England's royal past, blending historical portraiture with the artistry of print.

About the Artist

Wenceslaus Hollar|Sir William Butts|Adam Alexius Bierling|Hans Holbein the Younger · 1607–1677

Wenceslaus Hollar (1607-1677) was a prolific Bohemian etcher who became one of the most accomplished printmakers of the seventeenth century. Born in Prague, he trained under Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt before entering the service of Thomas Howard, Earl of Arundel, in 1636. Hollar spent most of his career in England, where he produced approximately 2,740 etchings documenting an extraordinary range...