Ferdinand III (1608–1657), Holy Roman Emperor, c. 1638 (?)
Artist/Maker
Material / Technique
Dimensionsh x w: Mått 214 x 141 cm h x w x d: Ram 233 x 160 x 10 cm
Inventory numberNMGrh 298
Other titlesTitle (sv): Ferdinand III (1608–1657), tysk- romersk kejsare, omkr. 1638(?) Title (en): Ferdinand III (1608–1657), Holy Roman Emperor, c. 1638 (?) Previous: Ferdinand III, 1608-57, tysk-romersk kejsare Previous: Ferdinand III (1608-57) Holy Roman Emperor
DescriptionDescription: Ferdinand III is portrayed here as victor over the Protestant forces in the Thirty Years War, the military context underlined by his armour and baton. On the table is an engraving or drawing of the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634, in which the imperial troops defeated the Swedish and Saxon forces. This and the style of the painting have led to the assumption that it dates from around 1638, when Luyckx was appointed at the court of Ferdinand III. Catalogue raisonné: Technical notes: The support of coarse plain-weave fabric consists of three pieces joined horizontally that are stitched to edge with visible selvedges at the seams and the upper tacking edge. The painting has been lined (compare with no. 120) and as a result the impasto areas have been flattened. The painting has probably been trimmed at the bottom. The support has been prepared with an evenly applied brownish-red ground that covers the texture of the canvas. The figures have been delineated against the background and foreground. The flesh tones of the face are evenly executed with white, red and yellow pigments mixed and applied opaquely. The armour is executed opaquely and covers the ground entirely, while the collar has areas of impasto in the form of highlights. The paint layer is not made up of several layers but is simple in structure. The varnish layer has yellowed evenly. UV examination reveals that retouches have been made in the seams of the canvas, the right hand side of the background and above the subject’s head. There are few retouches on the map. The inscription has been enhanced to some extent. The signature is only slightly enhanced. The painting underwent conservation treatment in 1925. Provenance: Prague 1648; (according to the records there is a companion piece numbered 75 and dated 1657; Royal Wardrobe inventory 1661, no. 30(?); Royal Armoury; Gripsholm 1794. Exhibited: Stockholm 1966, cat. no. 75, pp. 94–95; Münster-Osnabrück 1998, cat. no. 151, p. 73; Rome 2003, no. 31; Augsburg 2005, cat. no. II. 39, pp. 369–371. Bibliography: Granberg 1902, p.112; Granberg 1911, no. 549; Granberg 1912, p. 112 no. 123; Granberg 1929, pp. 104, 129; Ebenstein 1907, pp. 196, 222; Cat. Grips - holm I, Stockholm 1951, p. 13. Ferdinand III was the son of Ferdinand II and Maria Anna of Bavaria. He was King of Hungary from 1625, King of Bohemia from 1627 and the Holy Roman Emperor from 1637. Ferdinand III was very interested in science and appears politically to have been more prepared to compromise than his father. During the reign of Ferdinand II he served with distinction in the Thirty Years War and was, for instance, in command at the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634. In 1648, however, he was forced to conclude the Peace of Westphalia at the cost of major territorial concessions and relinquishment of the attempt to unify Germany under a strong emperor. In this full-length portrait at Gripsholm Castle the emphasis is on Ferdinand III’s martial prowess, in particular the role he played as commander-in-chief at the Battle of Nördlingen in 1634. This is shown by the map on the table next to the subject. The battle, fought on 27 August 1634, was to be one of the most important encounters during the Thirty Years War. Here the Imperial army of 33,000 men led by Matthias Gallas vanquished the Protestant force of 26,000 men commanded by Gustaf Horn and Bernhard of Weimar. The result of the Protestant defeat was calamitous for Sweden in depriving the country of its political and military significance. Two of its allies, for instance, Saxony and Bohemia, signed separate peace treaties with Emperor Ferdinand II. Permitting this portrayal as the triumphant commander- in-chief at this battle must be viewed as a political, ideological choice. In no other victory was Ferdinand III to be as successful. As if equipped for battle, Ferdinand III is depicted in silver armour decorated with gold and with a large lace collar over his shoulders. His right hand rests on a marshal’s staff. His gauntleted left hand is lying on a table, on which lie his helmet and a map of the Battle of Nördlingen. The Order of the Golden Fleece, to which the Habsburgs attached such great significance, hangs from a chain. He has long, dark hair, moustache and a pointed beard and is gazing with determination at the viewer. He is rendered with self-assured elegance in front of artfully hung drapings and the room that can be glimpsed behind him. Several other portraits of Ferdinand III which stress his martial exploits in particular have been preserved. One of them is a full-length portrait by Frans Luyckx in the Royal Palace in Warsaw, another a full-length portrait by Wolfgang Heimbach from 1649 that belongs to the art collection of the Benedictine Abbey at Göttweig. Several half-length portraits based on Frans Luyckx’s full-length work in the Gripsholm collection can be seen in a number of collections, as well as several graphic versions of the same type of portrait. The Gripsholm inventory lists what could be a companion piece in a portrait depicting his consort, Eleonora of Gonzaga, (no. 120). Technical examination reveals that the portrait listed as Grh 75 (no. 120) has a similar coarse plain-weave canvas as the present painting. The full-length portrait of Ferdinand III was painted in a similar manner to the portrait of Leopold Wilhelm (no. 118) so that the background was first painted separately and an outline left for the subject. In terms of painting technique, however, the execution is simpler, particularly where different details in the scene and the armour are concerned, which suggests that they were painted by a studio assistant. KS [End]
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