Lot 1210 Dα

Count Wolfgang zu Stolberg and Wernigerode was born on 1st October 1501 at Stolberg Castle as the son of Count Botho the Fortunate and Anna, née Countess of Königstein-Eppenstein. Upon his father's death in 1538, Wolfgang took over the running of the Stolberg family estate with the authorisation of his brothers Ludwig and Albrecht Georg. He married the 15-year-old Dorothea von Regenstein-Blankenburg in 1541. Their son died during his birth in 1544, and Dorothea died shortly afterwards aged just 19. Fearing for the continuation of the family line, Wolfgang's brother Ludwig advised him to re-marry as soon as possible. Thus, Wolfgang married his sister-in-law Genoveva von Wied even before the official end of his mourning year. This marriage produced four sons and a daughter. Count Wolfgang confessed to Lutheranism and allowed the Stolberg provinces to be reformed. He died on 8th April 1552 in Altstedt Castle and was the founder of the Harz line of the Stolberg house, the male line of which died out with his grandson, Count Wolfgang Georg zu Stolberg, in 1631.
A very similar portrait of the count is kept at Wernigerode Castle. The author of this work is as yet unknown. It is assumed that the piece was painted in several versions, either to be given as representative presents or to furnish several of the sitter's residences. The Cologne Institute of Conservation Sciences recently assessed the work and found that it is made up of three panels (presumably oak) and painted on white ground. No underdrawing was found using infrared reflectography. The softwood frame was found to be the original, but its polychromy has been overworked in black paint and sheet gold. An x-ray examination revealed the inscriptions “1549” and “AETATIS SUAE XXXXVIII” upon the upper section of the frame. The work shows the 48 year old count at the time of his second marriage to Genoveva van Wied. The present work has some similarities with portraits by the painter Antonius Heusler (circa 1500-1561, active in Annaberg).