WOLGEMUT, Michael
(b. 1434, Nürnberg, d. 1519, Nürnberg)

Portrait of Levinus Memminger

c. 1485
Oil on panel, 34 x 23 cm
Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum, Madrid

Netherlandish influence is evident in this portrait of Levinus Memminger, a Nuremberg judge. The artist adopted the general pose, the stone parapet and the window opening on to a landscape from Dirk Bouts or another master, yet the overall feel is decorative rather than naturalistic. The face lacks the detail and careful shading that characterize Netherlandish portraits. The meaning of the HMH initials is uncertain, though the letters may allude to a personal motto or to his wife.