Portret van Berchtold Lele by Hans (I) Wechter

Portret van Berchtold Lele 1597

hansiwechter

pencil drawn

light pencil work

shading to add clarity

pen illustration

pencil sketch

old engraving style

pen-ink sketch

limited contrast and shading

pen work

pencil work

This is a 1597 engraving by Hans (I) Wechter titled "Portret van Berchtold Lele". The portrait depicts Berchtold Lele, a citizen of Frankfurt, holding a skull and a writing implement. The inscription indicates that Lele was a "Rechenmeister" or accountant in Basel. The inclusion of the skull, a common motif in art of the time, reminds viewers of mortality and the impermanence of life.