1993, Painting HOLBEIT - PORTRAIN OF ERASMUS |
1993, Painting HOLBEIN - PORTRAIT OF ERASMUS 60-chetrum Bhutan MN H
Text: HOLBEIN - PORTRAIT OF ERASMUS 60-chetrum Bhutan
Condition: MNH
Title: Painting
HOLBEIN - PORTRAIT OF ERASMUS
Face value: 60 Ch
Country/area: Bhutan
Stamp Currency: Ch
Country/area: Bhutan
Year: 1993
Set: 1993
Painting
Stamp number in set: 1
Basic colour: Multi-coloured
Exact colour:
Usage:
Franking
Type: Stamp
Theme: Painting HOLBEIN - PORTRAIT OF
ERASMUS
Michel number:
Stanley Gibbons number:
Printing: Offset
Printing office: Bhutan Post
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Holbein shows the famous Dutch humanist
writing his commentary on Saint Mark's Gospel in Paraphases on the New
Testament, as comparison with a very similar painting in Basle confirms.
Holbein's very sober composition focuses on the face and hands to reflect the
model's concentration. The portrayal in profile is a clear allusion to the
effigies of Roman emperors engraved on antique medals.
A humanist at work
Holbein's portrait is one of the best
known portrayals of Erasmus (Rotterdam, 1469 - Basle, 1536). He portrays the
famous Dutch humanist, who was also one of the great moralists of the
Renaissance, in an interior, against a green wall covering decorated with
legendary animals and yellow and red flowers, with possibly a door jamb on the
right. The scholar, wearing warm clothes and a biretta, is writing on a sheet
of parchment laid on a book with red binding, propped at an angle.
The Basle Museum has another portrait of
Erasmus by Holbein, in which Erasmus is portrayed against a neutral backdrop.
In the Basle picture the humanist is writing the beginning of his commentary on
Saint Mark's Gospel, written in 1523 and published the following year by his
friend Johann Froben. It was probably through Froben that Erasmus met Holbein,
then a young man, in Basle. Comparison with the few down strokes still visible
in the Louvre painting have established that the text is identical to the passage
in the Basle painting.
An official yet intimate portrait
The eye is drawn to Erasmus's face in
profile, eyes cast downwards, which stands out against the dark green wall
hanging. Our attention is also focused on the finesse of his hands, which
Holbein took great care over, as we can see from a study in the Musée du
Louvre. The sober composition emphasizes the model's concentration on his
writing. The choice of the profile portrait, rare for Holbein, is a clear
allusion to the effigies of Roman emperors engraved on antique medals. Despite
its intimacy, this portrait has a very official look about it. Holbein's
portrait is a veritable icon of this great man of letters, whose slightly
pursed lips express his moral exigency. Erasmus, who paid great attention to
his public image, and who was very disappointed by Dürer's uncompromising
portrait of him, must have appreciated this skilful, calm picture.
A memento for a friend and fellow
humanist?
We know of three portraits of Erasmus
painted by Holbein whose intended recipients are still unsure. It is thought
the Basle portrait was taken by the painter to the court of Francis I of France
in an unfruitful attempt to secure his protection there. Erasmus himself sent
two portraits to acquaintances in England. The portrait now in the National
Gallery, London, was undoubtedly a gift to William Warham, Archbishop of
Canterbury. It is possible that Erasmus intended to give the Louvre painting to
another humanist, perhaps his faithful friend Thomas More (an attractive but unproven
hypothesis). On Erasmus' recommendation, the famous author of Utopia became
Holbein's protector in England, and ensured his introduction at court.
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