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DOI Artikel:Kozak, Anna; De Herdt, Jan [Ill.]: Jan de Herdt, a forgotten 17th century Flemish painter
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18902#0093
li ifi i
.-BBBŁwwij:
45. Jan de Herdt, St Thomas Aąuinas, oil on canvas, Holy Cross Church, Znojino
paintings of Gerusalemme Liberata series. Silvery, golden, and golden-brown tones are pre-
vailing, with accents of red and blue. Shortages of ingenuity in representing the model are
-compensated for by the meticulous rendering of clothing details, all the ribbons, plumage,
laces, ornamental shirt front, etc. The portrait of Zbynka Waldstein (Fig. 41) is even poorer in
quality. The artist’s all effort shifted from the characterisation of the model to the exceedingly
precise rendering of details of her attire. He tried to compensate for the rigidity of her posturę
by making her extend her right hand towards the fountain and rest her leg against the casing
of the fountain, which, however, did not make her appear any morę natural. Further weaknesses
of the portrait include the linear representation of the foliage of the tree under which the model
is portrayed, and the awkward rendering of the sculpture decorating the fountain. The greatest
asset of the painting is its colour-scheme, with pinks, and shades of gold and silver in prevalence.
The sky, with a red glow of the setting sun in the background, makes the model appear immersed
in unreal pinkish light. The striking similarity between tliese portraits and the images of Emperor
Leopold and Empress Margaret Theresa, which G. Heinz78 ascribed to Jan Thomas, prompts
•us to ask whether Herdt, whom the sources mention among the famous painters to the Emperor,
did not paint the portraits of the imperial couple either.
78. G. Heinz, ,,Studien zur Portraitmalerei an den Hofen der osterreiehisehen Erblande”, Johibuch der Kunsthistorischen
Sammlungen in Wien, 59, 1963, Figs. 196—197, p. 176.
83
.-BBBŁwwij:
45. Jan de Herdt, St Thomas Aąuinas, oil on canvas, Holy Cross Church, Znojino
paintings of Gerusalemme Liberata series. Silvery, golden, and golden-brown tones are pre-
vailing, with accents of red and blue. Shortages of ingenuity in representing the model are
-compensated for by the meticulous rendering of clothing details, all the ribbons, plumage,
laces, ornamental shirt front, etc. The portrait of Zbynka Waldstein (Fig. 41) is even poorer in
quality. The artist’s all effort shifted from the characterisation of the model to the exceedingly
precise rendering of details of her attire. He tried to compensate for the rigidity of her posturę
by making her extend her right hand towards the fountain and rest her leg against the casing
of the fountain, which, however, did not make her appear any morę natural. Further weaknesses
of the portrait include the linear representation of the foliage of the tree under which the model
is portrayed, and the awkward rendering of the sculpture decorating the fountain. The greatest
asset of the painting is its colour-scheme, with pinks, and shades of gold and silver in prevalence.
The sky, with a red glow of the setting sun in the background, makes the model appear immersed
in unreal pinkish light. The striking similarity between tliese portraits and the images of Emperor
Leopold and Empress Margaret Theresa, which G. Heinz78 ascribed to Jan Thomas, prompts
•us to ask whether Herdt, whom the sources mention among the famous painters to the Emperor,
did not paint the portraits of the imperial couple either.
78. G. Heinz, ,,Studien zur Portraitmalerei an den Hofen der osterreiehisehen Erblande”, Johibuch der Kunsthistorischen
Sammlungen in Wien, 59, 1963, Figs. 196—197, p. 176.
83