Miniature portrait of Jacob Burckhardt

Description

The great art historian Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897) was born in Basel on 25 May 1818. This miniature portrait shows him as a child of five or thereabouts with his head turned to one side, one hand resting on his hip and the other holding a hazel twig against his right shoulder. He is clad in a dark-coloured skeleton suit, which is what most well-to-do little boys of that era wore. His “Titus-style” haircut with the hair combed into his face is also very much in keeping with the times. In 1823 little “Jaköbisli” – as he was called in the family – wrote to his grandmother as follows: “Dearest Grandmama! I wanted to tell you only that I am in good health. I wish you, too, good health and a plentiful autumn, and for myself lots of sweet grapes.”