Derick Berck of Cologne
1536
Hans Holbein the Younger captures the quiet dignity of a 30-year-old merchant in this striking 1536 portrait. Derick Berck of Cologne sits at a red table, casually holding letters that hint at his busy trade life, while a heavy black coat and flat cap frame his impressive beard. Holbein, famous for painting King Henry VIII, brought his signature hyper-realistic style to the German merchants living in London's Steelyard district. Notice the inscription in the bottom right corner—it proudly declares his age and the year, a classic Holbein signature move that grounds this Renaissance masterpiece in a very specific moment in time.
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