Hans Holbein

by Oskar Bätschmann, Pascal Griener

Hans Holbein the Younger was the leading artist of the Northern Renaissance, yet his life and work are not nearly as well documented as those of his contemporaries Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo. That omission has been remedied with this acclaimed study by Pascal Griener and Oskar Bätschmann.


            Now offered in an affordable and richly illustrated paperback edition, Hans Holbein chronicles the life and oeuvre of Holbein (1497/8–1543), as Bätschmann and Griener apply their considerable knowledge to explore the full range of cultural and social influences that impacted him and his work. The artist’s friendships with leading thinkers such as Erasmus and Thomas More, the development of his painting style, and the cultural influences on his work are all discussed here in this unparalleled and in-depth biography that will be essential to the bookshelf of every art lover.

 

Genres: Art, Biography, Art History, Nonfiction, History

256 pages, Paperback

First published July 7, 1997

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I confess I didn't read every page of this book. I was doing a talk on his portraits, and since the book is organized thematically, some sections were simply not relevant, though I found myself straying into chapters that were not strictly about portraiture. It is generously illustrated with inline images, not a plate section, most of good quality and many in color. Some of the prose is on the tedious, academic side, like the discussion of Holbein as the alter Apelles, but on the whole it is well argued. It's not the perfect Holbein book - that would be a gorgeously illustrated, chronological conglomerate of the various Holbein books I've reviewed recently. But it's the best of the bunch.

[Peter Herrmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

5-stars for erudition and scholarship. I'm no art scholar, but this book caught my eye in the library while browsing. Filled with numerous color & B&W plates and illustrations. More than enough context describing all of them. I probably read about 1/3 ... just too dry and voluminous, but certainly not impenetrable. If I had only been interested in Holbein's life, a Wikipedia article would have sufficed. Holbein's portraiture ability is phenomenal (although not unique ... e.g. Lucien Freud and hundreds of other artists), and Holbein's work provides a sense of the material qualities of life (clothes, jewelry, furnishings) amongst 16th Century elites. Some of the portraits are of almost photo quality (impossible to say for sure, not having been there) - e.g., 'Charles de Solier'; others strangely seem a mix of accuracy (mostly) but with some caricature thrown in (e.g., 'Henry VIII' [although maybe he really did look that scary in real life?]); others have bits of 'fuzziness' or perspective oddities (esp. re hands) that less accomplished painters can be guilty of. Also, interesting (at least to me) is the variegated quality of solid/plain surface backdrops (walls - e.g. 'Erasmus of Rotterdam', ' John Godsalve', 'Anne of Cleves', floors - e.g. 'Cristina of Denmark', or sky); and patterns in backdrop curtains & tapestries that make many of the portraits even more interesting. Holbein's watercolor and chalk paintings are often more beautiful than his oils (imho), although not as famous.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hans Holbein is a peripheral character in Hilary Mantel's Thomas Cromwell novels, but in his day was a highly regarded painter in the court of Henry VIII and is now considered one of the great portrait artists of all time. This study of Holbein's work points out that to achieve fame as a portraitist one needed to be faithful in representing the likeness of the sitter, and at the same time be inventive about it, with the aim of revealing aspects of his or her underlying personality. This Holbein managed to do better than most.
This book has high quality illustrations, many full page, full color, and are the book's chief attraction. The text suffers in comparison. The opening chapter first appeared as an article in an academic journal and does not introduce Holbein well. It would have been better placed in an appendix. The following chapters are frequently concerned with art historical details, but I would have liked to read an overview of Holbein's life and career. Still worthwhile, especially for the portraits.