bavarikon4UDescription
This study of a dog with long shaggy fur is one of the best known early 16th century prints from the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach’s Erlangen collection. The silverpoint drawing on white primed paper shows one and the same dog in different positions, once sitting, once lying down and once just the head. The landscape-format sheet probably originates from a sketchbook. However, no other sheets from this presumed sketchbook have survived in the Erlangen collection. Although the reverse of the sheet bears the signature "H. Holbein", it has long been disputed among researchers whether the sheet can really be attributed to Hans Holbein the Elder. Today it is assumed that it is indeed by Hans Holbein the Elder (died 1524) and was created in Augsburg around 1510-1520. This makes the print one of the oldest animal studies from Augsburg known to date. Presumably Holbein sorted it into his stock of reference sheets later.