Christian Friedrich Zincke
A Gentleman, wearing fur-lined blue coat over gold embroidered waistcoat,, c. 1735-40
Enamel on copper
Oval, 1 ⅝ in. (44 mm) high
Philip Mould & Co.
To view all current artworks for sale visit philipmould.com This portrait enamel by the renowned artist Christian Friedrich Zincke stands out amongst his numerous commissions. The sitter is highly...
To view all current artworks for sale visit philipmould.com
This portrait enamel by the renowned artist Christian Friedrich Zincke stands out amongst his numerous commissions. The sitter is highly individualized, wearing a coat with fur border, held by gold straps, his hair worn, unusually for the period, centrally parted and unpowdered. So atypical is the presentation of this sitter for the period, he may be in the role of an ambassador, wearing the style of clothing acceptable in the country where he was residing. The sitter’s apparel is also clearly of high quality, incorporating fine fur, which has been manipulated to sit under gold bands, matching the gold waistcoat. Such fabric and materials would have represented considerable outlay to the sitter, but only when his identity is revealed will it be possible to place him in mid-18th century society.
The artist enameller Zincke was born in Dresden to a family of goldsmiths. After training in his home town, he travelled to London at the invitation of the Charles Boit, then the leading practitioner of enamelling in Europe. For a period of time he worked alongside his previous master Boit, but soon began his own studio.
From 1714, Boit having fled England to escape his creditors, Zincke became England’s finest and most sought-after enamellist. His output was prolific and although his eyesight began to deteriorate during the 1720s, he was made enamel painter to George II in 1732, which increased his patronage further.1 Unlike other enamellists many of his portraits were made ad vivum, although he was not averse to flattering his sitters at their request.2
As previously noted, the present work displays a greater degree of individual characterisation than most of Zincke’s portraits. The fine stipple describing the sitter’s features and the fine detailing of the textures and fabrics are particularly notable. It is quite possible, given the volume of commissions and subsequent output from Zincke, that he was in fact running a studio and employing artists working under the ‘Zincke’ brand, although there is no documentary evidence of this. The present work was perhaps an enamel executed by Zincke himself, given the exceptional painting of the sitter’s face and clothing.
Enamels by Zincke can be found in most significant public and private collections, including The Royal Collection, the Portland collection at Welbeck Abbey, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.
This portrait enamel by the renowned artist Christian Friedrich Zincke stands out amongst his numerous commissions. The sitter is highly individualized, wearing a coat with fur border, held by gold straps, his hair worn, unusually for the period, centrally parted and unpowdered. So atypical is the presentation of this sitter for the period, he may be in the role of an ambassador, wearing the style of clothing acceptable in the country where he was residing. The sitter’s apparel is also clearly of high quality, incorporating fine fur, which has been manipulated to sit under gold bands, matching the gold waistcoat. Such fabric and materials would have represented considerable outlay to the sitter, but only when his identity is revealed will it be possible to place him in mid-18th century society.
The artist enameller Zincke was born in Dresden to a family of goldsmiths. After training in his home town, he travelled to London at the invitation of the Charles Boit, then the leading practitioner of enamelling in Europe. For a period of time he worked alongside his previous master Boit, but soon began his own studio.
From 1714, Boit having fled England to escape his creditors, Zincke became England’s finest and most sought-after enamellist. His output was prolific and although his eyesight began to deteriorate during the 1720s, he was made enamel painter to George II in 1732, which increased his patronage further.1 Unlike other enamellists many of his portraits were made ad vivum, although he was not averse to flattering his sitters at their request.2
As previously noted, the present work displays a greater degree of individual characterisation than most of Zincke’s portraits. The fine stipple describing the sitter’s features and the fine detailing of the textures and fabrics are particularly notable. It is quite possible, given the volume of commissions and subsequent output from Zincke, that he was in fact running a studio and employing artists working under the ‘Zincke’ brand, although there is no documentary evidence of this. The present work was perhaps an enamel executed by Zincke himself, given the exceptional painting of the sitter’s face and clothing.
Enamels by Zincke can be found in most significant public and private collections, including The Royal Collection, the Portland collection at Welbeck Abbey, the Victoria and Albert Museum, London and the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.