Welcome Panel with the Arms of Weiss and Volhenin
Acquired by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913), New York, and installed in his library 1907-9.
Hans Weis Stainmet[z] [v]nd burger zu / Vberlingen der Zeit statw[er]ckmaister zu / Marchdorff 15[.]8/ Vrsla Volhenin sein ha[au]sfrow (Hans Weis [Weiss], stonemason and citizen of Überlingen and foreman of the city works of Markdorf 15[.]8 [and] Ursula Volhenin, his wife.
The couple stands in from of a string-decorated gold ground surmounted by swags of white fabric. To the left is the husband, with a long, forked beard, blue jacket, thigh armor, and black stockings. His black hat sports a white feather. On the right, his wife holds out a beaker in her right hand. She is dressed in a white bonnet and apron and a long rose-color skirt with blue horizontal bands. Her purse, a symbol of her responsibility for the household, is at her waist. The panel is framed by simple architecture and above the lintel is a scene of a cart laden with barrels drawn by a team of four horses. The bottom of the panel holds and cartouche with an inscription.