From Publishers Weekly
Ambitious and versatile, Holbein brought his Northern Renaissance skill to the English monarchy, as made evident in this sumptuous visual tour of the court of Henry VIII. The opulent portraits are rendered with lavish color, subtle modeling and precise detail. In several cases, the finished paintings are paired with their preliminary drawings, clear proof of Holbein’s virtuoso draftsmanship. Despite the scarcity of primary sources to document the artist’s professional dealings, it is clear that Holbein’s shrewd touch did not stop with the canvas. He survived the Reformation’s opposition to religious subject matter through the patronage of such intellectuals as Erasmus and Thomas More. After More’s execution, Holbein nimbly moved on, producing exquisite likenesses of the chancellor’s pallid, beady-eyed successor, a bejeweled Jane Seymour, the tiny red-cheeked heir, and, of course, the slab-jowled monarch. Scholar Buck provides edifying explications of Holbein’s technique and use of symbolism, but the dogged insistence on substantiating the dates that paintings were presented at court and other minutiae best left to footnotes nearly manages to make a riveting, turbulent period appear plodding and uneventful. Still, with in-depth examinations of the portraits, capsule biographies and definitions of historical terms, this is an unusual reference source for scholars of portraiture and the Tudor dynasty. 180 illustrations, 60 in color Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Book Description
A richly illustrated monograph combining glorious reproductions of some forty paintings with perceptive analyses of Holbein's oeuvre. Hans Holbein's psychological insight, magisterial compositions, and cool palette ensure his status as one of the greatest European painters. Published to accompany a major exhibition at the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the book concentrates on the period beginning in 1532, when Holbein settled in England. From 1536 Holbein was court painter to King Henry VIII and immortalized not only the king himself but also several of Henry's prospective spouses, actual wives, and children. Holbein also drew and painted other prominent figures, including German merchants in London, ambassadors, and members of the English court. After almost 400 years, these portraits have lost none of their profoundly expressive power: Holbein was among the first artists to portray people as flesh and blood, as strong and decisive personalities who continue to intrigue and move us. In her introductory essay, Stephanie Buck discusses Holbein's activities as a portraitist. She explores the pivotal role Erasmus played in Holbein's early career, and the later English period during which he portrayed the royals and their circle. Jochen Sander's essay sheds new light on the creation of the Darmstadt Madonna. The book is completed by a Who's Who that explains figures and essential ideas and movements necessary for a complete understanding of Holbein's milieu. 180 illustrations, 60 in color.

About the Author
Jochen Sander is Chief Curator at the Städelsches Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt. Stephanie Buck has been lecturing at the Freie Universität Berlin since 1994, where she specializes in late Gothic and Renaissance art. Among her publications is a monograph on Hans Holbein the Younger, published in 1999.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

"Hans Holbein's psychological insight, magisterial compositions and cool palette ensure his status as one of the greatest ever European painters. This richly illustrated volume, published to accompany the major exhibition at the Mauritshuis in the Hague, offers readers glorious reproductions of some forty paintings, as well as perceptive and scholarly accounts of Holbein's oeuvre in its full historical and artistic context." The book emphasises the period beginning in 1532, when Holbein settled in England. From 1536 he was court painter to King Henry VIII (1491-1547), when he immortalized not only the King himself, but several of Henry's prospective spouses, actual wives and children as well. He also drew and painted other prominent figures, including German merchants in London, ambassadors and members of the English court. After almost 400 years, these portraits have lost none of their profoundly expressive power. In addition to faithfully conveying the physical appearance of his sitters, Holbein was among the very first artists to portray people as flesh and blood, as strong and decisive personalities who continue to intrigue and move us.

SYNOPSIS

Published in conjunction with a 2003 exhibition at the Mauritshuis in the Hague, this oversize book (10x12.5") features full-page reproductions of some 40 paintings from the period beginning 1532, when Holbein settled in England. Stephanie Buck (Frie Universität in Berlin) supplies an introductory essay discussing Holbein's portraits and the influence Erasmus had on his early career. Sander (curator, Städelsches Kunstinstitut in Frankfurt) sheds light on the creation of the Darmstadt Madonna. Key information about ideas, people, and movements in Holbein's milieu round out the work. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

FROM THE CRITICS

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