A look at the artist Hans Holbein and the dozens of portraits he created while at the court of King Henry VIII of England. Many of his drawings are explained in depth, revealing Holbein’s technique and style.
Excerpt:
For individual portraits made in England it seems likely that Holbein provided a range of options at a range of prices: in an interior with objects, in a plainer interior, against a plain background of blue or green, against a plain background with a vine, or with a curtain, in a roundel large or small, or as a miniature. Did sitters and artist build the composition from available options as a process of discussion? Perhaps Derich Born chose both the vine and a parapet so Holbein could add the inscription he had offered to the young sitter. Did the Lovells pay more for a portrait with a vine and animals than William Reskimer, who is accompanied by a vine alone? Despite the possibility of a stock approach, each of Holbein’s drawings and paintings is entirely individual, each subtly different from the others in process. Sometimes he would take a pen or brush and trace outlines in ink, and atother times work sheets up in soft chalk alone. It is impossible to imagine his sitters as anything other than delighted with the result.
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Who is this book for?
Fans of Hans Holbein will also be delighted with this book, as it showcases dozens of his works held by the Royal Collection Trust. The opening section also gives a good account of his life and how Holbein came to work in England. The book will also be of interest to those who study Tudor-era England more broadly.
The author
Kate Heard is the Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Royal Collection Trust. She curated the exhibition Holbein at the Tudor Court, which was held earlier this year at Buckingham Palace.
Holbein at the Tudor Court
By Kate Heard
Royal Collection Trust
ISBN: 978 1 909741 87 4
A look at the artist Hans Holbein and the dozens of portraits he created while at the court of King Henry VIII of England. Many of his drawings are explained in depth, revealing Holbein’s technique and style.
Excerpt:
For individual portraits made in England it seems likely that Holbein provided a range of options at a range of prices: in an interior with objects, in a plainer interior, against a plain background of blue or green, against a plain background with a vine, or with a curtain, in a roundel large or small, or as a miniature. Did sitters and artist build the composition from available options as a process of discussion? Perhaps Derich Born chose both the vine and a parapet so Holbein could add the inscription he had offered to the young sitter. Did the Lovells pay more for a portrait with a vine and animals than William Reskimer, who is accompanied by a vine alone? Despite the possibility of a stock approach, each of Holbein’s drawings and paintings is entirely individual, each subtly different from the others in process. Sometimes he would take a pen or brush and trace outlines in ink, and atother times work sheets up in soft chalk alone. It is impossible to imagine his sitters as anything other than delighted with the result.
Who is this book for?
Fans of Hans Holbein will also be delighted with this book, as it showcases dozens of his works held by the Royal Collection Trust. The opening section also gives a good account of his life and how Holbein came to work in England. The book will also be of interest to those who study Tudor-era England more broadly.
The author
Kate Heard is the Senior Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Royal Collection Trust. She curated the exhibition Holbein at the Tudor Court, which was held earlier this year at Buckingham Palace.
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