Figures in the
Style of Holbein

By Joe Haedtke

Peter Dümler was often inspired by Renaissance art and frequently reflected the period’s style into his works throughout the years.  This month’s featured stein “Figures in the Style of Holbein” (249), produced by Dümler & Breiden, is a fantastic example of Peter’s appreciation for renaissance artists.

The stein is two-liter pottery relief with a pewter lid. It features characters that reflect portrait sitters of Hans Holbein the Younger, members from British high class, and his Northern Renaissance style portraits from the 16th century. Hans’ most famous work is arguably a portrait of King Henry VIII, credited for creating the standard image of King Henry VIII.

The stein portrays three central characters of British high class that Hans commonly painted. The center figure, an elegant woman hoisting a chalice, likely represents a member of the Monarch or Nobility class, the highest ranks of British social class. The second figure, a Knight, probably represents the Gentry class, a level below nobles. Lastly, the third figure presumably represents a Merchant, the lowest of the high classes that likely could afford the cost to commission an artist such as Hans.

For more reading about this stein, Dave Lowry authored a short article titled “Dümler, Breiden, and Holbein,” in the March 2013 edition of Prosit.