Holbein, Hans, the Younger

Holbein, Hans, the Younger

(b. 1497/98, Augsburg, Bishopric of Augsburg—d. 1543, London, Eng.) German painter, draftsman, and designer renowned for the precise rendering of his drawings and the compelling realism of his portraits, particularly those recording the court of Henry VIII of England. His father, Hans Holbein the Elder, and his uncle Sigmund were renowned for their somewhat conservative examples of late Gothic painting in Germany. Holbein the Younger no doubt studied with his father in Augsburg. He moved to Basel c. 1515, entered the painters' corporation in 1519, and was executing important murals by 1521. He also designed book illustrations and woodcuts for publishers, notably a series of more than 40 scenes illustrating the medieval allegory of the “dance of death” (1523–26). His portraits, including that of Desiderius Erasmus (1523), featured rich colour, psychological depth, detailed accessories, and dramatic silhouette. In 1526 he went to England, where he painted portraits of German merchants and court personalities, and by 1536 he had entered the service of Henry VIII. In his last 10 years he produced some 150 life-size and miniature portraits of the royalty and nobility. He also designed fashions for the court and state robes for the king. He was one of the greatest portraitists of all time.