Samuel Hoffmann, Portrait of the Statesman Niklaus Dachselhofer Hoffmann, 1640, Oil on Canvas

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Description

Samuel hoffmann (zurich 1591 – frankfurt 1648)
attributable

portrait of niklaus dachselhofer (1595 – 1670),
famous swiss statesman, patrician, and … Read more Samuel hoffmann (zurich 1591 – frankfurt 1648)
attributable

portrait of niklaus dachselhofer (1595 – 1670),
famous swiss statesman, patrician, and schultheiss (mayor/chief magistrate) of bern

oil on canvas

68 x 55 cm.
in a gilt-framed box, 82 x 70 cm.

documentary inscriptions: "aetat 41/a: 1637/ el: cons: 1636"
age of the sitter: "41" (in 1637), electus consiliarius (elected councilor in 1636)

heraldic elements: at the top left is the coat of arms of the bernese patrician house of dachselhofer (gold background with black badger's paw).

this work, of historical value and of excellent quality, depicts a half-length portrait of niklaus dachselhofer (1595–1670), one of the most influential and central political figures in 17th-century switzerland. He was a magistrate and member of the swiss patriciate, first as a member of the small council, which held executive power, and later as schultheiss (mayor/avoyer) of bern, the highest office of the republic.

the painting was therefore conceived as a dynastic celebration portrait for the advancement in rank and public office that occurred between 1636 and 1637: joining the small council represented a true turning point in the career of a noble patrician, an achievement so significant that it justified the commissioning of a formal portrait with family heraldry.

the formal features of the work, as well as its remarkable technical skill, lead us to suggest the attribution of samuel hoffmann (zurich 1591 – frankfurt 1648), a renowned portraitist.

the work displays the hallmarks of the great 17th-century flemish-dutch school, which hoffmann learned while working directly in antwerp as an apprentice in the prestigious workshop of peter paul rubens, and subsequently in amsterdam until 1628.

upon his return to switzerland, hoffmann became one of the most sought-after and successful portrait painters for the wealthy bourgeoisie and the aristocratic cadre of magistrates and politicians, portraying numerous swiss dignitaries with the same solemn manner.

the rigorous yet psychological rendering of the face evokes rubens's portraiture, imported by the painter, especially in the expressive and sharp gaze that almost seems to engage with the viewer, combined with the subtle expression lines and the hint of a slight smile, distinctive features common to much of his portraiture.

the extraordinary execution of the complex, pleated white ruff, achieved with vigorous, textured brushstrokes of white impasto, is a technique unique to hoffmann and one of his most well-known stylistic signatures, used to infuse three-dimensionality and capture the ambient light, differentiating it from the dark, austere background.

the practice of placing the coat of arms in the upper corner, with the sitter's age or election date positioned directly below the shield, faithfully follows the scheme hoffmann used for his upper-middle-class clients and members of the swiss cantonal judiciary.

in our case, we see the official coat of arms of the bernese patrician dachselhofer family (a shield on a gold background with the black silhouette of a badger's paw pointing upwards): in heraldry, this type of coat of arms is called a "speaking weapon," a shield whose symbol directly recalls the meaning of the owner's surname (in german, dachs means badger).

a similar painting to ours is now in the collections of the swiss national museum in zurich, specifically from the château de wildegg (image 1 - inventory number sw-410). Two other portraits of our sitter were painted later, one in 1666 (image 2 - collection of the burgerbibliothek in bern) and the other in 1645 (private collection).

good condition.

additional information:

the work being sold comes with a certificate of authenticity and guarantee. This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



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