Who painted Portrait of a Nobleman?

Portrait of a Nobleman was painted by Nicolaus Kremer in 1529.

Where can I see Portrait of a Nobleman?

Portrait of a Nobleman is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Portrait of a Nobleman?

Portrait of a Nobleman is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Portrait of a Nobleman?

Museum-quality prints of Portrait of a Nobleman are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Portrait of a Nobleman by Nicolaus Kremer (1529)

Inscription: Inscribed:upper left: 1529 / .NK. (in monogram); reverse, a resinous seal bearing a coat-of-arms

About this work

He’s holding a folded piece of paper in one hand, looking straight ahead with a serious expression.

This painting shows a man in a dark hat and fur-lined cloak. He’s holding a folded piece of paper in one hand, looking straight ahead with a serious expression. Behind him, a curtain frames a small landscape with a rider on horseback and distant buildings.

The date "1529" is written in the corner, hinting this was made over 500 years ago. The way light and shadow define his face and clothes is very precise.

Look up chiaroscuro to see how artists used light and dark to create depth.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1529 by Nicolaus Kremer, this portrait is an oil painting on a wood panel support. The work measures 59.7 by 44.1 centimeters. As a formal portrait, the piece utilizes the oil medium to render the likeness of a nobleman, a genre characteristic of early sixteenth-century Northern European art.

The physical construction involves applying oil pigments directly onto the prepared panel surface. While specific details regarding the artist's brushwork or the current state of conservation are not explicitly detailed in the available records, the material composition remains consistent with standard practices of the period for portable panel paintings.

History & Provenance

The painting Portrait of a Nobleman was created in 1529 by Nicolaus Kremer as an oil on panel portrait. Its early ownership is uncertain; a seal on the reverse suggests possible earlier owners among Bohemian aristocracy, but this has not been verified. Documented provenance begins in 1926 when Madame de L. de L. in Paris sold it to Théodore Fischer in Lucerne (sale 27 July 1926, lot 139, listed as by Nicolas Kirberger).

The work then passed to Otto B. Schuster, was sold at Sotheby's London on 15 July 1931 (lot 109, as Master N.K.), and entered the collection of Mrs. Jacob H. Schiff. Siegfried F. Aram later owned it, and by 1938 it was owned by Mrs. Ralph Harman Booth, who gifted the painting to the National Gallery of Art in 1947.

Portrait of a Nobleman by Nicolaus Kremer has been in the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., since 1947, when it was given by Mary Batterman Booth, widow of Ralph Harman Booth of Grosse Pointe, Michigan.

The panel passed through several hands before reaching the Booth collection. It was sold at Théodore Fischer's Lucerne auction on 27 July 1926 as by Nicolas Kirberger, then appeared at Sotheby's London on 15 July 1931 as by the Master N.K. It was offered again at the American Art Association-Anderson Galleries in New York from 7 to 9 December 1933, when it was bought in. By 1938 the New York dealer Siegfried F. Aram had sold it to Mrs. Booth, who transferred it to the NGA nine years later.

The painting's dimensions are recorded as 59.7 by 44.1 cm, and its medium is oil on panel. No exhibition history beyond the documented auction appearances is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Portrait of a Nobleman is an oil painting on panel by Nicolaus Kremer, completed in 1529. This work depicts a distinguished man, likely an aristocrat, adorned in formal attire. He gazes directly forward with a somber expression, holding a folded document.

The painting offers a glimpse into early 16th-century portraiture, showcasing the artist's skill in rendering individual likeness and conveying social status through detailed depiction.

Subject & Meaning

The subject, a gentleman in a dark hat and a luxurious fur-lined cloak, commands attention with his direct gaze and solemn demeanor. In one hand, he carefully holds a folded piece of paper, possibly a letter or official document, suggesting his status or a specific purpose for the portrait. Behind him, a drawn curtain reveals a subtle landscape vignette featuring a lone rider and distant structures, adding a narrative depth to the composition.