A HOLBEIN

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 41, 18 February 1920, Page 3

A HOLBEIN

IN A COLLECTION AT TE KUITI.

(BI TELEOSAPH.—SPECIAL TO THE POST.)

TE KUITT, This Day.

Many lovers of art in the Dominion have had the opportunity ot inspecting the rather remarkable collection of pictures the property of Dr. Zoebel, of T© lvuiti. It is one of the finest private collections in New Zealand, comprising several gems by old masters. But by a rather curious coincidence it would appear that the value of the collection, rich as it was before, was considerably enchanced a day or so ago. One of the largest pictures in the collection suddenly fell with a crash to the ground, and the heavy frame collapsed. While examining the inside of the frame, Dr. Zoebel found a piece of dark, smudgy paper partly detached from the inner woodwork. Carefully removing this, he found'? name on it which had been transferred on to the woodwork, and this latter he deciphered as "Holbein." Holding the piece of paper up to the light, the same name was even more clearly decipherable on it. Some five years ago Dr. Zoebel acquired this picture in London, and, although he was aware that it was a valuable work, he little dreamed that he was the possessor of a genuine Holbein. A comparison with engravings illustrative of "The Work of Holbein, the Younger," reveals marked similarity to the picture in question, and it would certainly*eem that there is little doubt ss to the authenticity of the work. The oanvas is 50' inches by 39, and the subject "Christ and the Cyrophoenician. Woman," where the woman is imploring the Lord to cast the evil spirits out of her child. Every detail in the picture, which is a truly remarkable one, speaks of its illustrious origin, the whole conception bearing the unmistakeable imprint of the master hand. Specially interesting is the exquisite beauty and expressiveness of the hands, a feature of Holbein's, and in this direction it is interesting to note that a picture by Holbein the younger of the Duke of Norfolk at Windsor, although the head .has been disfigured by a "shrivel," is still exhibited, on account of the wonderfully lifelike hands. There is little doubt that art circles in New Zealand vrill be intensely interested in the discovery. The picture has been placed in safe keeping. In the meantime photographs of it have been taken, and they will be forwarded to Auckland and Wellington immediately.

[Hans Holbein was bom in Bavaria nbout 1497, and died in London in 1543.]