Creative Commons License
Portrait of a Scholar or Preacher
(Renaissance Europe )
The cap is of a type worn by scholars and preachers, among others, and the small book that the sitter holds could be a devotional work or, if he is a scholar, his own publication. A fur-lined mantle was not a luxury: houses were poorly heated in winter, and everyone dressed warmly inside, especially if seated for long periods. The sitter's hand appears to be intentionally presented as deformed. At this period, deformities were generally viewed as a sign of divine disfavor. The inclusion of this hand may be the sitter's way of signaling his acceptance of divine will.
Setting the figure off against a flat color background is a striking and typical feature of German painting at this period.
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, 1902 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 2/14/1958 | Treatment | other |
| 12/11/1975 | Examination | examined for condition |
| 1/6/1976 | Treatment | coated; inpainted; loss compensation; varnish removed or reduced |
Geographies
Germany, Saxony (Place of Origin)
Measurements
23 5/16 x 15 3/16 in. (59.2 x 38.5 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1902
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.
37.249