A Swiss Guard before an Ornamental Arch (recto)

1568

Abraham Bickhart

Associated Names
Abraham Bickhart

Artist, Swiss, 1535 - 1577

The image shows a person in elaborate clothing holding a spear. They have one hand on their hip, wearing a hat with a feather, and have a serious expression. The background includes architectural elements, decorations, hunting dogs, and a deer in a forest landscape.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

Associated Artworks

The drawing depicts a person standing upright from head to toe. They are dressed in elaborate ecclesiastical robes with intricate patterns and bordered with ornate designs. The individual wears a large bishop's mitre adorned with decorative elements and holds a long staff in their right hand. Their facial features show a prominent nose, a serious expression, and they appear to be middle-aged, with a slight smile and wrinkles under their eyes. The hair is mostly covered by the mitre, except for some strands visible around the forehead. They are holding a book in their left hand, upon which are placed three spheres. The background is a blank, aged paper with some stains, which emphasizes the figure's detailed attire and ornamentation.

Saint Nicholas (verso)

Hans Heinrich Wägmann

1600

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Dr. W. Hugelshofer until 1928; Dr. Hugo von Ziegler [1890-1966]; (sale, Sotheby's New York, 28 January 2009, no. 4); (via Jean-Luc Baroni), purchased 2009 by NGA.

Associated Names

Inscriptions

lower right in white gouache: AB 1568

Wikidata ID

Q64533198

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