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The Northern Renaissance: Dürer to Holbein
The Northern Renaissance was a period of profound social and religious upheaval in Europe, with the rapid spread of humanism and the burgeoning Protestant Reformation sweeping the continent. Reflecting this momentous change is the glorious art of the period, which draws on the complex themes of religion, allegory, and classical myth and is further characterized by superb technical skill coupled with an interest in capturing likeness with almost psychological precision. This sumptuously illustrated volume features works by German artists Albrecht Dürer and Hans Holbein—two of the great masters of the Northern Renaissance. Working in a variety of media that included engravings, woodcuts, illuminated manuscripts, and oil paintings, Dürer and Holbein created landscapes, still lifes, and portraits of near-photographic realism, including Holbein’s superlative drawings of members of Henry VIII’s court. Examined here alongside a selection of works by other Northern Renaissance masters—including Lucas Cranach, François Clouet, Jan Gossaert, and Joos van Cleve—the works of Dürer, Cranach, and Holbein are shown to be a blend of techniques and ideals old and new. Drawn from the Royal Collection’s world-class paintings and drawings, The Northern Renaissance marks a major reexamination of works that have been little considered during the past forty years and offers a uniquely beautiful overview of a fascinating period in European art.
248 pages, Paperback
First published June 15, 2011
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May 22, 2024This is an exhibition catalogue featuring works from the Royal collection of the British Monarchs. It is divided into five chapters, each has a two page introduction generally followed by a full page reproduction of a painting, print, drawing, or other work of art, with a description of it on the facing page. There are references to further reading and brief scrappy notes on the provenance of the piece, many of which are simply recorded as having been purchased, generally fairly recently - within the last two hundred years, others however are recorded as having belonged to a monarch, then lost or disposed of - a lot were sold after the execution of Charles I - and then coming back into Royal ownership at a later date.
The five chapters are; the Netherlands, Albrecht Durer, Art in the Holy Roman Empire, Hans Holbein the Younger, & Art in France. Since this is an exhibition catalogue there is no sense of a narrative, rather just a consideration of individual works of Art. Occasionally there is a connection between one artist and another, but tracing influences does not seem to have been something that royal collectors pursued.
I thought this description of the fate of Hans Holbein's drawings after his death entertaining, not all the works shown in this book had such varied adventures:
On Holbein's death in 1543 the portrait drawings, which appear to have remained in his studio as working models, probably passed to Henry VIII, & on Henry's death to the young Edward VI. The drawings were pasted into an album &, at this point it is reported that the names of the sitters were inscribed in the volume by Edward's tutor, Sir John Cheke, who would have known many of those portrayed. The book left the Royal Collection before being required by Henry, Prince of Wales, & then passed to his brother Charles I. Charles, who appears to have been delighted to own paintings by Holbein, was less enthusiastic about drawings & exchanged the album for a single small painting by Raphael. It was eventually reacquired by Charles II, but then lost sight of until Queen Caroline found it in the draw of a bureau at Kensington Palace.(p154)
and I thought I was pretty lucky when I found a box of amlodipine at the back of a drawer, but royal drawers plainly contain a better quality of odds and ends.
I was drawn to this book from reading several other books about Durer, and looking for something more satisfying. I am even less satisfied now, but rather bloated.
The five chapters are; the Netherlands, Albrecht Durer, Art in the Holy Roman Empire, Hans Holbein the Younger, & Art in France. Since this is an exhibition catalogue there is no sense of a narrative, rather just a consideration of individual works of Art. Occasionally there is a connection between one artist and another, but tracing influences does not seem to have been something that royal collectors pursued.
I thought this description of the fate of Hans Holbein's drawings after his death entertaining, not all the works shown in this book had such varied adventures:
On Holbein's death in 1543 the portrait drawings, which appear to have remained in his studio as working models, probably passed to Henry VIII, & on Henry's death to the young Edward VI. The drawings were pasted into an album &, at this point it is reported that the names of the sitters were inscribed in the volume by Edward's tutor, Sir John Cheke, who would have known many of those portrayed. The book left the Royal Collection before being required by Henry, Prince of Wales, & then passed to his brother Charles I. Charles, who appears to have been delighted to own paintings by Holbein, was less enthusiastic about drawings & exchanged the album for a single small painting by Raphael. It was eventually reacquired by Charles II, but then lost sight of until Queen Caroline found it in the draw of a bureau at Kensington Palace.(p154)
and I thought I was pretty lucky when I found a box of amlodipine at the back of a drawer, but royal drawers plainly contain a better quality of odds and ends.
I was drawn to this book from reading several other books about Durer, and looking for something more satisfying. I am even less satisfied now, but rather bloated.
Displaying 1 of 1 review