Artwork
Portrait of the Nuremberg Goldsmith Hans Lencker (1523-1585) and his 9-year old son Elisius the Younger
Portrait of the Nuremberg Goldsmith Hans Lencker (1523-1585) and his 9-year old son Elisius the Younger is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Nicolas Neufchatel. It dates from 1570 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Nicolas Neufchatel, a Flemish artist who worked in Germany, painted an oil portrait in 1570 that shows the Nuremberg goldsmith Hans Lencker, aged sixty‑two, together with his nine‑year‑old son, Elisius the Younger. The work exemplifies the Northern Renaissance portrait tradition and is now held by the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents Lencker seated in a dark, high‑collared robe, his hand holding a small object that may allude to his trade, while his son stands beside him in a light‑coloured jacket with a ruffled collar, also grasping a diminutive item. The pairing suggests a private, familial moment that underscores lineage and the transmission of craft from father to son.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting employs a restrained palette of deep and muted tones, with careful modelling of flesh and fabric that reflects Neufchatel’s skill in rendering texture. A plain, monochrome background isolates the figures, focusing attention on their faces and gestures, a hallmark of the artist’s portraiture in the 1560s.
History & Provenance
Created during the height of Neufchatel’s career as a leading portraitist, the work remained in private hands before entering the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Northern Renaissance holdings.
Context
The portrait belongs to a period when German merchants and artisans commissioned likenesses to affirm social status and professional identity. As a goldsmith, Lencker’s depiction aligns with contemporary practices of showcasing personal achievement and family continuity through portraiture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolas Neufchatel or Neufchâtel (c. 1527 – c. 1590), known as Lucidel, was a Flemish painter and draughtsman. He worked in Germany and was noted as one of the leading portrait painters of the 1560s.
