Holbein: Masters of Art

This introduction to the work of the 16th-century master portraitist Hans Holbein the Younger reveals the impressive and surprising scope of his career

16th-century Europe was a time of unprecedented economic expansion, cross-cultural trade, religious upheaval, warring empires, and scientific advancement. With unfettered access to the court of Henry VIII, Hans Holbein had a front-row seat to the royal drama and intrigue, and his detailed, highly narrative portaits tell us much about aristocracy. This volume features dozens of full-page reproductions of Holbein's key works accompanied by extensive commentary that explores his masterful portraits of prominent European figures such as Thomas More, Erasmus, and Thomas Cromwell. It also reveals the artist's talent in other media, such as woodcuts, frescoes, jewelry, and metalwork. Reproductions of these items, as well as Holbein's exquisite, palm-sized miniatures and his highly detailed studies in pencil, chalk, and ink illuminate an artist of unparalleled versatility and impressive commercial acumen.

About the Author:

Florian Heine is an arts editor, photographer, and author whose many books include 50 Contemporary Photographers You Should Know, Buildings that Revolutionized Architecture, Photography: The Groundbreaking Moments, and The Art of Illusion (all by Prestel).