The Portrait of Robert Cheseman (1485-1547) is a celebrated oil on panel painting created in 1533 by Hans Holbein the Younger. Cheseman served as the King’s Falconer to Henry VIII, a prestigious position during the peak of the Tudor court. Holbein was actively working as court painter at this time, and this piece exemplifies his renowned ability to capture not only the physical likeness but also the personality of his influential sitters.
The Younger employs meticulous detail characteristic of Northern Renaissance painting, focusing intensely on textures—visible in the fur lining of Cheseman’s dark coat and the individual strands of his silver-gray beard. The subject, looking directly at the viewer, holds a meticulously rendered falcon in his left hand, a direct visual symbol of his official duties. The precise draftsmanship suggests the preparatory work Holbein often executed before beginning a final panel painting.
This work is a critical historical document, providing insight into the appearance and status symbols of key figures orbiting the English monarchy in the 1530s. The painting resides in the Mauritshuis collection in The Hague, where it is recognized as a masterwork of 16th-century portraiture. Due to the fame and historical importance of Portrait of Robert Cheseman, high-quality prints and photographic reproductions are widely accessible to the public, frequently appearing in art history catalogs and public domain collections globally, ensuring continued study of Holbein’s technical mastery.
Important: ArtBee makes no warranties about the copyright status of this artwork. To the best of our knowledge, based on information from the source museum, we believe this work is in the public domain.
You are responsible for determining the rights status and securing any permissions needed for your use. Copyright status may vary by jurisdiction. See our License & Usage page and Terms of Service for details.