Hans Holbein [Hardcover]

Oskar Batschmann (Author), Pascal Griener (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 1997

Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8-1543), one of the most versatile and admired painters of the Northern Renaissance, trained under his father in Augsburg and then worked for leading patrons in Switzerland before settling in England as Court Painter to Henry VIII. To commemorate the five-hundredth anniversary of the artist's birth, Oskar Bätschmann and Pascal Griener offer this richly illustrated book--the first comprehensive monograph on the artist to appear in more than forty years--which is a major advance in our understanding of Holbein's contribution to European art. The authors reexamine every aspect of a remarkable career, and further illuminate the artistic and cultural influences that affected the artist.

Holbein was a hugely ambitious artist, and even during his formative years in Lucerne and Basel, made designs for jewelry, stained glass, and woodcuts, and painted major altarpieces and portraits. He also carried out several monumental decorative schemes for private houses and civic buildings. In his commissions, Holbein sought to rival the greatest masters of Germany and Italy, most notably Durer and Mantegna, and by the time of his visit to France in 1524 he was determined to secure a position as Court Painter. However, Holbein soon found himself in a precarious situation as a result of the Reformation's increasing hostility toward religious works, and he left for England in 1532. While in England, in addition to decorative schemes and Triumphs, he both drew and painted numerous unrivaled likenesses of leading courtiers, merchants, and diplomats, among which is his celebrated double portrait, The Ambassadors. This book offers both a remarkable range of extant visual evidence and a rewarding and scholarly account of Holbein's oeuvre in its full historical and artistic contexts.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

This far-reaching study is the first comprehensive volume on Hans Holbein in 40 years. It is filled with color reproductions of the Renaissance artist's magnetic portraits, such as the well-loved rendering of the baby Edward, Prince of Wales, wielding his gold rattle like a scepter. Art historians will find the scholarship deep and subtle; all readers will enjoy stories such as the tale about Anne of Cleves, one of Henry VIII's prospective brides. Holbein enhanced her plain looks with regal robes of gold-encrusted velvet. The portrait persuaded Henry to propose; when Anne arrived, though, he called her a "fat Flanders mare." Holbein's reception at court turned chilly as a result: sic transit gloria pictoris.

Review

Like only a few other painters in history, Holbein made the human likeness seem to erase the distance between his time and ours.... This readable scholarly book not only situates Holbein carefully in his own time but teaches us how to read his paintings and prints in depth. (Kenneth Baker San Francisco Chronicle )

Hans Holbein is a stimulating book with many new insights and suggestions. (Willibald Sauerlander The New York Review )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (July 7, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691017433
• ISBN-13: 978-0691017433
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,940,920 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reaction to Ryan, February 3, 2001

By 

Steven (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hans Holbein (Hardcover)

In opposition to "Ryan" who gave this fasinating study of Holbein a single star simply because of his inability to write a college (high school?) paper, I find that O. Batschmann has managed to balance a scholarly approach with a lively style. In particular, check out the chapter on portraiture and mortality. Great stuff. Sorry about only getting a 50, Ryan. In all seriousness, Ryan's review brings up the subject of trusting this type of rating system in general.

0 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The life and times of Hans Holbein is quite boring, September 28, 2000

By 

ryan (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hans Holbein (Hardcover)

This book was a waste of my time, the only reason i got it was to help with a research paper and it didnt help at all. I got a 50 on the paper using all the information from this book!