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5. Attribué à Conrad Faber, dit Faber von Kreuznach (Kreuzna…
5
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5. Attribué à Conrad Faber, dit Faber von Kreuznach (Kreuzna…
Estimate €40,000 - €60,000
Voluntary lot
Description
5. Attribué à Conrad Faber, dit Faber von Kreuznach (Kreuznach 1500-1552 Francfort-sur-le-Main)
Portrait d'un gentilhomme à mi-corps, portant un béret
dated and inscribed 'A 1519/AET 27' (upper left and right)
oil on panel
54,7 x 36cm (21 9/16 x 14 3/16in).
Provenance
Sale, Fischer, Lucerne, 25-28 October 1944, lot 1517 (Collection of Henri Louis Carey, Geneva, the estate of Dr. Scherbel, Basel, Private Collection, Zürich)
Swiss Private Collection
Sale, Koller, Zürich, 22 September 2000, lot 1
Attributed to Conrad Faber von Kreuznach (c. 1500-1553), the present portrait is dated 1519 and depicts the sitter at the age of twenty-seven, according to the inscription. Shown half length wearing a black gown and beret, the unknown gentleman is presented with the restrained elegance characteristic of German portraiture in the early sixteenth century.
A notable feature is the gold chain around the sitter's neck, deliberately concealed beneath the dark folds of his costume, which does not reveal any badge or insignia that might identify membership of a particular order. Instead, the artist subtly emphasizes the richness of the chain itself, using its glistening highlights as a discreet indication of the sitter's wealth and social standing. The contrast between the luxurious ornament and the austere costume lends the portrait a dignity and refinement typical of the period.
Little is known about Konrad Faber, who was active principally in Frankfurt. His surviving oeuvre, consisting of approximately 40 works, primarily depicts member of the noble Frankfurt society, including his best known work Double Portrait of Justinian von Holzhausen and his Wife Anna, in the Stadel Museum, Frankfurt (inv. no. 1729), which also showcases his skill as a topographical artist.
About the sale
From Antwerp to Bruges, the Collection of a Flemish Connoisseur
Auction location
Auction time
11/04/2026 at 11:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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