Ulrich Fugger (1490–1525)

The portrait of Ulrich Fugger the Younger was created in 1525 by the artist Hans Maler zu Schwaz. Executed in oil paint on a lime panel, the work depicts the subject as a man. The painting entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art following a bequest by Benjamin Altman, who previously held ownership of the piece.

While the specific commission details are not recorded in the available data, the work is firmly dated to the year of the sitter's death, 1525. The artwork measures 40.3 cm in height and 32.4 cm in width, serving as a definitive likeness of the Fugger family member during the early sixteenth century.

The 1525 portrait of Ulrich Fugger the Younger, attributed to Hans Maler zu Schwaz, exemplifies early German Renaissance portraiture and reflects the prominence of the Fugger family in the early 16th century. Executed in oil on lime panel, the work measures 40.3 × 32.4 cm and was later acquired by Benjamin Altman, whose collection formed a cornerstone of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s early holdings. As a representative example of Hans Maler’s output, the painting underscores the development of individualized portraiture in the German lands and contributes to scholarly understanding of Northern Renaissance artistic practices. Its placement within the Met’s collection highlights the role of private collectors in shaping public museum narratives.

Hans Maler zu Schwaz completed this oil portrait of Ulrich Fugger the Younger in 1525. Representative of the Northern Renaissance, the painting depicts the wealthy merchant with a direct gaze, showcasing Maler's skill in capturing individual likeness. It is currently held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.