|
Hans Holbein the Younger (artist) German, 1497/1498 - 1543 Sir Brian Tuke, c. 1527/1528 or c. 1532/1534 oil on panel overall: 49.1 x 38.5 cm (19 5/16 x 15 3/16 in.) framed: 67 x 57.5 x 7.6 cm (26 3/8 x 22 5/8 x 3 in.) Andrew W. Mellon Collection 1937.1.65 On View |
Object 8 of 12
Conservation Notes
The painting is composed of two boards with vertical grain. The panel has been thinned very slightly; this is indicated by the presence on the reverse, at the upper right, of a red resinous seal that sits about 2mm above the surface of the panel.[1] The picture has been cradled. Peter Klein's dendrochronological examination indicated that the wood was from the Baltic/Polish region and provided felling dates of 1525 +4/-2 and 1530 +4/-2 for the two boards.[2] Examination with infrared reflectography did not disclose underdrawing. While there are no major alterations, infrared reflectography and x-radiography indicated very minor alterations in the outline of the figure, such as the reduction in size of the outer edge of the left elbow and changes in the position of the thumb.In general the painting is in very good condition. There are two checks at the left. There is retouching along the left and right edges and scattered retouching in the face and hands. The painting exhibits an unusual craquelure pattern with localized areas of wide drying cracks.
[1] Also on the reverse is a paper sticker that reads: 93007D/40 x
56/Knoedler/pour ce soir/5 heures.
[2] Peter Klein, examination report, 3 December 1986, and letter to the author,
28 March 1990, in NGA curatorial files.
| « | back to gallery | » | continue tour |