This is a landmark art history book offering the first major biography of Hans Holbein the Younger in more than a century. Written by Elizabeth Goldring and published for the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art, this substantial monograph reexamines one of the defining artists of the Tudor court and his lasting impact on British and European art.
Positioned at the intersection of Renaissance culture and Tudor politics, Holbein shaped the visual language of power in sixteenth century England. This art book traces his journey from Augsburg and Basel to the court of Henry VIII, illuminating the artist’s role in crafting enduring images of monarchy, diplomacy, and identity. Through close analysis of iconic works such as The Ambassadors and portraits of Henry VIII and his circle, the study situates Holbein within the broader development of Renaissance portraiture.
Beyond biography, the volume contributes significantly to art history by examining the networks of patronage, collecting, and connoisseurship that surrounded Holbein’s career. Drawing on new archival research and recent technical analysis, Goldring presents fresh insights into authorship, workshop practice, and the circulation of images in early modern Europe.
Beautifully illustrated and academically rigorous, this art history monograph functions both as a compelling narrative biography and as an authoritative reference work. With over four hundred pages of scholarship, it is an essential art book for collectors, students, libraries, and specialists in Renaissance and Tudor art.
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