Daniel Lang

With H. Füssli & C^ie, Zürich, by 1800 (L.1008, verso);
Baron H.A. von Derschau,
his deceased sale, Nuremburg, Schmidmer, 1 August 1825, lot 39, as Christoph Murer;
H.W. Campe, Leipzig, circa 1840 (L.1391), who attributed the drawing to Josias Murer;
thence by inheritance to his son-in-law, Prof. K.E. Hasse, Hanover;
thence by inheritance to his son-in-law, Prof. E. Ehlers, Göttingen, circa 1910;
his deceased sales, Leipzig, C.G. Boerner, 9-10 May, 1930, lot 408, reproduced plate 40, as Swiss School, unsold,  and Leipzig, C.G. Boerner, 27 November 1935, lot 504, reproduced fig. XVI, as Swiss School;
sale, Leipzig, C.G. Boerner, 28 April 1939, lot 436, reproduced fig. 28;
sale, Bern, Gutekunst & Klipstein, 22 November 1956, lot 290, reproduced plate 7, as Swiss School;
with Dr. W. Hugelshofer, Zürich, circa 1965

Unframed. Horizontal folds across centre, one backed and with minor losses. Also vertical creases. Oil stain and minor loss, top right corner. Various other small stains throughout. Small repaired tear, top centre. Some surface dirt. Minor losses and abrasions, lower right corner. Otherwise, good condition.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The jewel on the helmet above the arms seems to signify the Pappus family, who were important in the area around Lindau.  We know that the Lang workshop worked for this family thanks to a 1556 design made by Hieronymus for Zacharias Pappus.¹  Formerly attributed to the Zürich artist Christoph Murer, and then to Josias Murer, the present design was then considered anonymous until attributed by Thöne to Daniel Lang.  It is extremely close in style to the art of the two Langs, Hieronymous and Daniel, and the figure of Venus is also very similar to that seen in the 1555 design for Balthasar Reyger, lot 24.  As in most of the designs produced by the Langs, the composition was initially defined in a pen drawing. Here, however, much of the composition is, more unusually, elaborated with red, black and white gouache, presumably to indicate the intended tonalities to the glass painter. 

The attribution to Daniel Lang is based on comparison with a 1562 design by the artist with the Schellenberg arms, and on the style of the pen-work visible at the top of the composition.² The high beret of the banner bearer indicates a dating after 1570, probably circa 1575. Daniel was a member of an extended Schaffhausen family of glass-painters and designers. Other artists in the family included Daniel's father Hieronymus the Elder (1520-1582), his brother Martin (born 1546), his son Hans Caspar the Elder (1571-1645) and his grandson Hans Caspar the Younger (1599-1649), and Hieronymus Lang the Younger (1570-1611) was also a relative.  For other drawings by the Langs in this collection, see lots 18-20, 24, 28, 29, 32, 33 and 37-40.

1.  F. Thöne, 'Ein Bildnis des Glasmalers Hieronymus Lang und einige Beiträge zu seiner und seines Sohnes Daniel Tätigkeit', in Zeitschrift für schweizerische Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte, 1, 1939, plate 19, fig. 4
2.  Thöne, op. cit., plate 23, fig. 13