Duke Antony the Good of Lorraine

The sitter is rendered as a dignified, bearded nobleman wearing a dark hat and a fur‑trimmed robe. His expression is solemn, with deep‑set eyes that convey authority. While the identity is generally accepted as the Duke of Lorraine, some scholars note possible allusions to contemporary rulers such as Charles V within the composition.

Holbein employed the medium of oil on oak, using a restrained palette and precise brushwork characteristic of his Northern Renaissance approach. The painting relies on chiaroscuro, the contrast of light and shadow, to model the facial features and give the heavy red fur a tactile presence against the dark, unadorned background.

The portrait entered the Gemäldegalerie Berlin’s holdings in the early 20th century, having previously been part of private collections in the Lorraine region. Documentation traces its ownership through several aristocratic families before it was acquired by the museum, where it has been displayed as part of the German Renaissance assemblage.

Holbein painted this work during a period when he was active at various European courts, supplying portraits that emphasized status and personal virtue. The depiction of a regional duke aligns with the artist’s broader practice of portraying political figures for diplomatic and commemorative purposes, reflecting the intertwined nature of art and power in mid‑16th‑century Europe.