Hans Vredeman de Vries

With Jänner, Prague, by 1820;

From whom acquired by an ancestor of the present owner for 20 Louis d'Ors;

Thence by direct descent.

Lemgo, Wesrenaissance-Museum Schloß Brake, Renaissance in Weserraum, 22 April - 1 October 1989, no. 17;
Lemgo, Weserenaissance-Museum Schloß Brake, Hans Vredeman de Vries und die Renaissance im Norden, 26 May - 25 August 2002, and Antwerp, Koninklijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, 15 September - 8 December 2002, no. 121.

P. Boesch, 'Trajan und die Witwe auf schweizerischen Glasgemälden', in Zeitschrift für schweizerische Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte, vol. 12, Zurich 1951, pp. 218- 220;

G. Ulrich Grobmann (ed.), Renaissance in Weserraum, vol. I, exhibition catalogue, Lemgo 1989, p. 127, cat. no. 17, reproduced plate 5;

L. and S. Dittrich, 'Tiere in Höfen und Gärten von Palästen auf Bildern von Hans und Paul Vredeman de Vries', in Niederdeutsche Beiträge zur Kunstgeschichte, vol. 32, Cologne 1993, p. 90- 107;

H. Borggrefe, V. Lüpkes, P. Huvenne and B. van Beneden, Hans Vredeman de Vries und die Renaissance im Norden, exhibition catalogue, Munich 2002, pp. 283- 284, cat. no. 121, reproduced p. 283, fig. 121.

The catalogue illustration is too dark. The panel support consists of three horizontal oak planks, flat and uncradled. There are a number of old splts and joins inthe panel which have opened and are now visible. The upper join has opened in the past and is held by a modern wood strip on the reverse, but the paint along its length is beginning to loosen. The lower join is sound, but a parallel split running 1 cm above it on the left hand side for about 20 cm is held by an old batten affixed to the reverse. Other longer splits, of 25 and 40 cm approximately run in from the left and right hand edges respectively of the panel below this about 4 cm from the bottom edge. These are in turn held by battens affixed to the width of the panel behind. The paint surface itself is now dirty and the varnish layer discoloured. Overall the paint surface is very well preserved indeed, with no significant damages or repairs or signs of wear. Inspection under ultra-violet light is impeded by the old varnish but only minor scattered local repairs are in evidence, mostly in the upper parts. Offered with a later gilt wood gallery frame, with palmette and leaf motifs, re-gilded and in good overall condition.
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The subject is taken from the story in the Golden Legend in which a widow begs the Emperor Trajan (98-117) for vengeance for the death of her son who was murdered by the son of the Emperor. Although Trajan gave up his own son to her, he was nevertheless condemned to Purgatory. John of Damascus (circa 655-745) in his De his qui in fide dormierunt tells us that five hundred years later Pope Gregory the Great (circa 540-604) was so distressed that the pagan emperor Trajan had been consigned to Purgatory that he prayed to God to have a special exception made. God heard Gregory’s prayer and Trajan was transferred to heaven.

This tale was popularised in the Middle Ages by Dante (1265-1321) in The Divine Comedy. As an allegory of Justice, the subject often makes a companion picture to the judgements of Solomon and of Daniel and these were often portrayed together in 15^th and 16^th century Netherlandish tapestry cycles. It had particular resonance for de Vries as Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba (1507-1582) had instigated the Spanish Fury at Mechelen in 1572 which began the Spanish occupation of the city. The artist, having moved there in 1549, was finally forced to flee circa 1585 seeking refuge in Aachen and Liege where Emperor Maximilian II (1527-1576) was exacting a more just rule.

A variation of the subject, which may have influenced de Vries, was painted by Rogier van der Weyden for the 'Gulden Camere' (Golden Chamber) of the Brussels Town Hall in circa 1439, which was later destroyed in the French bombardment in 1695. The figures of the present picture were painted by Gillis Mostaert (1528-1598). A period replica of this picture is in the Hunterian Art Gallery, Glasgow (inv. no. GLAHA 43838).¹

1.See H. Borggrefe etc., under Literature, p. 284, cat. no. 122, reproduced p. 285,  fig. 122.