Portrait of Henry IV, King of France
(Baroque Europe )
In an astonishing display of virtuosity and amusing artifice, the unknown miniaturist painted the French king twice, one image directly on top of the other (but in reverse and with a black jacket and black pearl ear ring) on the same side of one piece of glass. Then, a second piece of glass was fitted over the top image. The portrait was probably for a locket.
Henry of Bourbon, king of Navarre (1553-1610), became King Henry IV of France (after converting from Protestantism to Catholicism) in 1589.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
2000 | Small Northern European Portraits from The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. National Gallery of Art, Washington. |
Geographies
France (Place of Origin)
Measurements
1 5/8 x 1 5/16 in. (4.2 x 3.3 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
38.98