“The German Hercules”, Andreas Eberhard Rauber, was well-known for his strength and size, but also for his rather extraordinary beard. He lived during the 16th century in present-day Lower Austria.
Our portrait’s composition goes back to a lost original from 1575: Rauber was then 68 years old and would die shortly after.

 

 

German knight 

Castle Meinegk 1507 – 1575 Petronell

 

Because of his size and strength he was nicknamed “the German Hercules”. With a single sword stroke he could split his opponents in half from head to toe.

 

He was well-known for his exceptionally long beard.

 

Having been a childhood friend and confidant of the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II (1527 – 1576), he became his military councillor when Maximilan succeeded to his father Emperor Ferdinand I in 1564. Rauber owned several castles in present-day E. or Lower Austria, close to the border with Slovakia and its capital Bratislava: Breitberg, Karlstetten, Krumau, Petronell, Plankenstein, Thalberg and Weineck.

 

Rauber’s first wife was a natural daughter of the Emperor, the beautiful Helena Scharseg; that short marriage remained childless. He won her hand after a bloodless duel, fought on the Tummelplatz in Graz in front of Helena, her father the emperor and his brother Archduke Karl II of Inner Austria. His opponent was another giant, a Spanish nobleman who was even taller than he. The winner had to put his rival in a sack.

With his second wife, the Hungarian noblewoman Ursel von Tschillack, he had eight children: four times twins.

 

 

Our painting copies the composition of an engraving from circa 1700 (1690/1730) by the Monogrammist JB. It was made in its turn after an original, lost painting from 1575. It portrayed Rauber at the age of 68, that is in the very year that he passed away. 

Several portraits were painted after this unusual engraving.

 

 

Because you shall hardly find a funnier man’s portrait.