Artwork
Portrait of Ursula Nothaft
Portrait of Ursula Nothaft is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Hans Schöpfer. It dates from 1556 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Hans Schöpfer’s oil portrait, dated 1556, depicts a woman identified as Ursula Nothaft. The work belongs to the collection of Munich’s Alte Pinakothek, where it is displayed among other mid‑Renaissance pieces.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter is shown in contemporary 16th‑century dress: a dark gown with a high, stiff neckline, puffed sleeves trimmed in white, and a modest hat. A chain with a pendant rests at her throat, suggesting a status of modest wealth or marital affiliation. Her gaze meets the viewer directly, conveying a restrained yet personal presence.
Technique & Style
Schöpfer employs a restrained chiaroscuro, using a dark, muted backdrop to isolate the figure and model the facial features with fine brushwork. The contrast between the illuminated flesh tones and the surrounding gloom creates a three‑dimensional effect, while the careful rendering of textiles highlights the materiality of the clothing.
History & Provenance
Created in 1556, the portrait entered the Alte Pinakothek’s holdings as part of the museum’s early acquisitions of German Renaissance art. Documentation traces its ownership to the Nothaft family before its transfer to the public collection, where it has remained since the museum’s foundation.
Artist & collection
Bildnis der Elisabeth Nothafft
Woman from Hensbroek in country dress
Portrait of Anna von Wehingen
Mechthilde von Bayern (Kopie nach dem Bildnis Hans Schöpfers d. Ä.)
Maria Jakobäa, Gemahlin Herzog Wilhelms IV. von Bayern
Bildnis Anna von Potschach
Mary, Queen of Scots
Young woman from Monnikendam
Bildnis einer Dame (?)
Bildnis einer unbekannten Dame