Portrait of a Gentleman
- Artist
- Hans Mielich, German, 1516–1573
- Date
- 1540–41
- Material
- Oil on panel
- Classification
- Paintings
- Current Location
- On View, Gallery 236E
- Dimensions
- panel: 26 1/2 x 19 9/16 in. (67.3 x 49.7 cm)
framed: 34 x 27 1/2 in. (86.4 x 69.9 cm) - Credit Line
- Gift of Maria and Larry Roberts in memory of Anny and Albin Salton
- Rights
- Contact Us
- Object Number
- 38:2006
NOTES
The identity of this subject is unknown. Although the man’s ring bears a monogram, no name has been associated with the initials. His fur garment and the gloves he holds attest to his prosperity. Hans Mielich, a leading Munich painter of the early 16th century, rarely infused a sense of individual personality into his portraits. Here, however, viewers can sense the man’s apprehension as he faces his chronicler. This uneasiness is illustrated by his firm grip on the edge of his coat and his cautious glance out toward the viewer.
Provenance
- 1938
Julius Priester (1870-1954) and Camilla Priester, Vienna, Austria [1]
1938/11/04 -
German National Socialist (Nazi) government, confiscated from Julius and Camilla Priester, taken to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria, November 4, 1938 [2]
1944 - 1947
Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee, Austria [3]
1947 - 2006
Julius Priester and Camilla Priester, Mexico City, Mexico, restituted by the Bundesdenkmalamt von Österreich (BKD), Vienna, Austria; Lilly Priester, Mexico City, Mexico, by inheritance from her sister-in-law; Anny Salton, New York, NY, USA, by inheritance from her mother; Albin Salton (d.2001), New York, NY, by inheritance; Maria Roberts, Homestead, Florida, by inheritance [4]
2006 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Maria Roberts [5]
Notes:
The two pendant paintings in the Museum's collection, "Portrait of a Gentleman" (38:2006) and "Portrait of a Lady" (39:2006), share the same provenance. The main source for the provenance is the 2005 auction catalogue, lot no. 31 ["Old Master Paintings." Christie's, New York, September 30, 2005, lot no. 31, pp. 41-42].
[1] The paintings are listed in a 1938 inventory of the Priester collection compiled by the German National Socialist government with the following description: "Millich bayerische Maler am Hof, Anfang des 16. Jh (2 portraits)" [Lillie, Sophie. "Was Einmal War." Vienna: Czerin Verlag, 2004, pp. 904-909]. A copy of a handwritten inventory by the Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz im Ministerium für innere und kuturelle Angeleganheitn lists the two Mielich portraits as in the Priesters' collection with the following descriptions: "Porträt…bärtiger Mann im Pelz vor grünem Hintergrund/ 49 x 65/ Muelich Hans/" and "Portät…Frau mit weisser Schaube vor grünem Hintergrund/ 49 x 65" [undated document, SLAM documents files].
[2] A letter issued to the Priesters dated November 4, 1938 from Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz im Ministerium für innere und kuturelle Angeleganheitn states that the two paintings are prohibited from export and will be 'secured' by the government and taken to the public museum in Vienna [document labeled M. Abt. 2/8511/38, SLAM document files]. According to Lillie (see note [1]), the paintings were taken to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
[3] According to a document stamped with the date March 7, 1946 from the Staatsdenkmalamt zur Kenntnisnahme, the paintings were brought to the Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee, Austria, on July 3, 1944 [document labeled 1543/46, SLAM document files]. Another document stamped with the date June 28, 1947 also mentions the location of Priester's collection as Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee [document with handwritten label 3582, SLAM document files]. Salzbergbau Altaussee are salt mines in Austria that were used as storage facilities for looted art by the German National Socialist government.
[4] See note [3]. Werner Fürnsinn, Chairman of the Kommission für Provenienzforschung, Bundesdenkmalamt (BKD), Vienna, Austria, noted that the paintings were restituted to a representative of their rightful owner and subsequently permitted for exportation [letter and copies of documents sent to the Museum September 13, 2006, SLAM document files]. Documents from Dr. Gapp, Magistrat der Stadt Wien, Staatsdenkmalamt zur Kenntnisnahme indicate that restitution preparations were underway in September of 1946 [document labeled Mag.Abt.7 - 3171/46, SLAM document files]. Permission to export Priester's collection was given by the director of the BKD in a letter dated July 25, 1947 [document labeled Zl: 4148/47, SLAM document files]. By 1947, Julius Priester and his family had moved to Mexico City, Mexico, where he remained until his death in 1954.
Werner Fürnsinn also provided the Museum with correspondence from Priester heir Anny Salton regarding Priester's collection. On September 30, 1969, Salton wrote to Dr. Podlesnigg of the BKD regarding any papers in his possession that may clarify Priester's recovery of the two Mielich portraits (as well as other works from Priester's collection). The letter states that Salton inherited the works from her mother, Lilly Priester. Salton added "my mother inherited a house in Mexico and all its contents, including the art objects discussed in this letter, from her sister-in-law, Mrs. Camilla Priester, who in turn had been the universal heir of Mr. Julius Priester" [SLAM document files].
At the time of the 2002 catalogue raisonné the two portraits were listed as being in the collection of Albin Salton, heir to Anny Salton [Löcher, Kurt. "Hans Mielich (1516-1573)." München; Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag, 2002, cats. nos. 12, 13, pp. 211-12]. In 2005, the two portraits were featured in an auction at Christie's, New York but they were not sold. In early 2006, Roberts elaborated on the provenance of these paintings indicating that she inherited the portraits from her uncle, Albin Salton [letter erroneously dated January 30, 2005, received February 2006, SLAM document files]. The paintings were later given by Priester heir Maria Roberts to the Museum in 2006.
[5] See note [4]. Deed of gift from Maria Roberts dated September 26, 2006 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, September 26, 2006.
Julius Priester (1870-1954) and Camilla Priester, Vienna, Austria [1]
1938/11/04 -
German National Socialist (Nazi) government, confiscated from Julius and Camilla Priester, taken to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria, November 4, 1938 [2]
1944 - 1947
Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee, Austria [3]
1947 - 2006
Julius Priester and Camilla Priester, Mexico City, Mexico, restituted by the Bundesdenkmalamt von Österreich (BKD), Vienna, Austria; Lilly Priester, Mexico City, Mexico, by inheritance from her sister-in-law; Anny Salton, New York, NY, USA, by inheritance from her mother; Albin Salton (d.2001), New York, NY, by inheritance; Maria Roberts, Homestead, Florida, by inheritance [4]
2006 -
Saint Louis Art Museum, given by Maria Roberts [5]
Notes:
The two pendant paintings in the Museum's collection, "Portrait of a Gentleman" (38:2006) and "Portrait of a Lady" (39:2006), share the same provenance. The main source for the provenance is the 2005 auction catalogue, lot no. 31 ["Old Master Paintings." Christie's, New York, September 30, 2005, lot no. 31, pp. 41-42].
[1] The paintings are listed in a 1938 inventory of the Priester collection compiled by the German National Socialist government with the following description: "Millich bayerische Maler am Hof, Anfang des 16. Jh (2 portraits)" [Lillie, Sophie. "Was Einmal War." Vienna: Czerin Verlag, 2004, pp. 904-909]. A copy of a handwritten inventory by the Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz im Ministerium für innere und kuturelle Angeleganheitn lists the two Mielich portraits as in the Priesters' collection with the following descriptions: "Porträt…bärtiger Mann im Pelz vor grünem Hintergrund/ 49 x 65/ Muelich Hans/" and "Portät…Frau mit weisser Schaube vor grünem Hintergrund/ 49 x 65" [undated document, SLAM documents files].
[2] A letter issued to the Priesters dated November 4, 1938 from Zentralstelle für Denkmalschutz im Ministerium für innere und kuturelle Angeleganheitn states that the two paintings are prohibited from export and will be 'secured' by the government and taken to the public museum in Vienna [document labeled M. Abt. 2/8511/38, SLAM document files]. According to Lillie (see note [1]), the paintings were taken to the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna, Austria.
[3] According to a document stamped with the date March 7, 1946 from the Staatsdenkmalamt zur Kenntnisnahme, the paintings were brought to the Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee, Austria, on July 3, 1944 [document labeled 1543/46, SLAM document files]. Another document stamped with the date June 28, 1947 also mentions the location of Priester's collection as Depot Salzbergbau Altaussee [document with handwritten label 3582, SLAM document files]. Salzbergbau Altaussee are salt mines in Austria that were used as storage facilities for looted art by the German National Socialist government.
[4] See note [3]. Werner Fürnsinn, Chairman of the Kommission für Provenienzforschung, Bundesdenkmalamt (BKD), Vienna, Austria, noted that the paintings were restituted to a representative of their rightful owner and subsequently permitted for exportation [letter and copies of documents sent to the Museum September 13, 2006, SLAM document files]. Documents from Dr. Gapp, Magistrat der Stadt Wien, Staatsdenkmalamt zur Kenntnisnahme indicate that restitution preparations were underway in September of 1946 [document labeled Mag.Abt.7 - 3171/46, SLAM document files]. Permission to export Priester's collection was given by the director of the BKD in a letter dated July 25, 1947 [document labeled Zl: 4148/47, SLAM document files]. By 1947, Julius Priester and his family had moved to Mexico City, Mexico, where he remained until his death in 1954.
Werner Fürnsinn also provided the Museum with correspondence from Priester heir Anny Salton regarding Priester's collection. On September 30, 1969, Salton wrote to Dr. Podlesnigg of the BKD regarding any papers in his possession that may clarify Priester's recovery of the two Mielich portraits (as well as other works from Priester's collection). The letter states that Salton inherited the works from her mother, Lilly Priester. Salton added "my mother inherited a house in Mexico and all its contents, including the art objects discussed in this letter, from her sister-in-law, Mrs. Camilla Priester, who in turn had been the universal heir of Mr. Julius Priester" [SLAM document files].
At the time of the 2002 catalogue raisonné the two portraits were listed as being in the collection of Albin Salton, heir to Anny Salton [Löcher, Kurt. "Hans Mielich (1516-1573)." München; Berlin: Deutscher Kunstverlag, 2002, cats. nos. 12, 13, pp. 211-12]. In 2005, the two portraits were featured in an auction at Christie's, New York but they were not sold. In early 2006, Roberts elaborated on the provenance of these paintings indicating that she inherited the portraits from her uncle, Albin Salton [letter erroneously dated January 30, 2005, received February 2006, SLAM document files]. The paintings were later given by Priester heir Maria Roberts to the Museum in 2006.
[5] See note [4]. Deed of gift from Maria Roberts dated September 26, 2006 [SLAM document files]. Minutes of the Collections Committee of the Board of Trustees, Saint Louis Art Museum, September 26, 2006.