Rudolf II of Habsburg Hans von Aachen 1552-1612

From the collection of
Skokloster Castle

Portrait of Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg executed in a less formal style. The Emperor appears slightly younger in this portrait than on the one in the Kunsthistoriche Museum. Therefore the date of the painting could possibly be closer to 1600 than 1603-04.

Details
Title: Rudolf II of Habsburg (1552-1612)
Date Created: c. 1600
artist: Hans von Aachen, his studio
Tags: German school, Portrait, Prague
Provenance: Prague 1621 (?); Königsmarck 1648 (?); Carl Gustaf Wrangel (1613 – 76) 1676, Skokloster Slott
Physical Dimensions: w540 x h640 mm (Without frame)
Artist info: This unsigned and undated portrait of Rudolf II is similar to the one by Hans von Aachen executed in 1603-04, now in the Kunsthistorische Museum in Vienna. This standard type portrait of the Emperor probably originates from the painting by Joseph Heintz executed in 1594, although the invention of this less formal type of portrait is more likely credited to von Aachen who had painted several portraits in this style before 1594 at the Bavarian court and elsewhere in southern Germany.
Additional info: The painting was taken from Prague as war booty by the Swedish army in 1648.
Type: Oil on canvas
External Link: http://emuseumplus.lsh.se/eMuseumPlus?service=ExternalInterface&module=collection&objectId=24491&viewType=detailView

Hans von Aachen

Hans von Aachen (1552 – 4 March 1615) was a German painter who was one of the leading representatives of Northern Mannerism

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Hans von Aachen was a versatile and productive artist who worked in many genres He was successful as a painter of princely and aristocratic portraits, and further painted religious, mythological and allegorical subjects Known for his skill in the depiction of nudes, his eroticized mythological scenes were particulzarly enjoyed by his principal patron, Emperor Rudolf II These remain the works for which he is best known He also painted a number of genre paintings of small groups of figures shown from the chest upwards, laughing, often apparently using himself and his wife as models Von Aachen usually worked on a small scale and many of his works are cabinet paintings on copper

The life and work of Hans von Aachen bear unique witness to the cultural transfer between North, South and Central Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries After training in the tradition of Netherlandish Renaissance painting the artist moved to Italy in 1574, where he remained for about 14 years, mainly working in Venice He returned in 1587 to his native Germany, where he took up residence in Munich in Bavaria His final years were spent in Prague The combination of the Netherlandish realism of his training and the Italian influences gained during his travels gave rise to his unique painting style

His presence in the important art centres of the time, the wide distribution of prints after his designs and his congenial character all contributed to his international fame during his lifetime
https://hisour.com/art-medium/paintings/rudolf-ii-habsburg-hans-von-aachen-1552-1612/