ASCRIBED TO HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER (ANGLO-GERMAN, 1497/1498 - 1543) AND BERNARD LENS (BRITISH, 1682-1740)

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more

FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE ERIC KORNER

ASCRIBED TO HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER (ANGLO-GERMAN, 1497/1498 - 1543) AND BERNARD LENS (BRITISH, 1682-1740)

A young gentleman called Leonhardus Baur with his arms resting on a ledge, in black doublet, the sleeves slashed to reveal white, brown coat with large lapels, the sleeves slashed to reveal maroon, white shirt with lace collar tied with thin black ribbon, black cap adorned with gold and silver pins; gold border

Details

ASCRIBED TO HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER (ANGLO-GERMAN, 1497/1498 - 1543) AND BERNARD LENS (BRITISH, 1682-1740)
A young gentleman called Leonhardus Baur with his arms resting on a ledge, in black doublet, the sleeves slashed to reveal white, brown coat with large lapels, the sleeves slashed to reveal maroon, white shirt with lace collar tied with thin black ribbon, black cap adorned with gold and silver pins; gold border
inscribed and dated 'LEONHARDVS BaVR .:. Aetatis Suæ, XX. 1549.' with coat-of-arms
on vellum laid down on card
rectangular, 2 11/16 x 2 in. (69 x 51 mm.), gilt-metal Seamer frame with spiral cresting, the reverse engraved with foliate monogram JS for James Sotheby

Provenance

possibly 'Mr Huckle's auction', 6 June 1717 (a 'man's head in miniature by Holbein', 10 gns. to James Sotheby).
James Sotheby (1655-1720); and by descent.
The late Major-General Frederick Edward Sotheby; Sotheby's, London, 11 October 1955, lot 52 (£850 to Eisemann).
Eric Korner; and by descent.

Literature

G. C. Williamson, The Miniature Collector, London, 1921, illustrated pl. I opp. p. 10 (as by Holbein).

Exhibited

London, South Kensington Museum, Special Exhibition of Works of Art, 1862, no. 2641.
London, Burlington Fine Arts Club, Portrait Miniatures, 1889, p. 61, no. 2
Manchester, City Art Gallery, Old and Modern Miniatures, 1926, no. 243 (as by Holbein).

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis

Lot Essay

The 1955 sale catalogue states that James Sotheby's last recorded purchase is a 'man's head in miniature by Holbein, ten guineas' bought on 6th June 1717. This may be identical to lot 52'.
It is plausible that Sotheby gave a commission to his contemporary Bernard Lens, who was famous for his copies of miniatures of the Tudor period, to finish the portrait.

More from Important Portrait Miniatures and Objects of Vertu

View All