João de França, duque de Berry
1523-24
Hans Holbein the Younger creates a fascinating historical puzzle in this 1523 sketch, portraying Jean de France, Duke of Berry—a legendary art patron who had actually died a century before the artist was born! Holbein uses delicate, scratchy lines to outline the figure's sweeping clerical robes and the book resting on the lectern, leaving the bottom half beautifully unfinished. However, he applies soft red and yellow chalk to the face and collar, giving the Duke a lifelike, rosy-cheeked expression and a gentle smile that makes him feel surprisingly present.
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