Finely executed carved ivory relief portrait of German humanist and public official Ulrich Varnbüler [1474-1545], based on a 1522 woodcut portrait by Albrecht Dürer.

[cGermany or The Netherlands: c16th-17th century]. The subject, Ulrich Varnbüler [1474-1545], was a German humanist and public official. In 1521 he was appointed chancellor to the Reichsregiment [1521-30] which was to exercise imperial powers in Germany in the absence of Charles V. With the Reichsregiment he first resided in Nuremberg where his friend Albrecht Dürer sketched his portrait for a woodcut which was executed in 1522 and upon which this ivory is based. The text in the cartouche of the woodcut reads in translation: "Through this picture, Albrecht Dürer from Nuremberg would like to recognize Ulrich, the secretary and chief clerk of the Roman imperial government, with the surname Varnbüler, whom he loves immensely." Varnbüler was also friends with Erasmus and translated into German the latter's adage 'Dulce bellum inexpertis' (Basel: 1519). Varnbüler was instrumental in obtaining in the name of the emperor protective privilege against pirated editions for works published by Johan Froben and Andreas Cratander. A number of works were dedicated to him by Cratander, Willibald Pirckheimer and Peter (II) Schöffer. See P.G.Bietenholz, Contemporaries of Erasmus', 1987, Vol. III p. 377. 6 3/4 x 3 3/4 inches (size of plaque). 10 x 7 ½ inches (size with frame). mounted in an antique wooden frame c1840 on a pine backing board (a number of minor surface blemishes, crack of not more than ½ inch in top near centre & 2 small cracks of not more than ½ inch in hat). elala5896