Holbein: His Life and Works in 500 Images : An illustrated exploration of the artist, his life and context, with a gallery of his paintings and drawings

Hans Holbein the Younger's life is discovered through his artworks, his family, his patrons and the people who met him.Born into a family of talented artists, Holbein learnt to be a draughtsman, a painter, a portraitist, and a designer for woodcuts.What could not be taught was his remarkable skill as a portrait painter.From an Augsburg workshop as a youth, he would achieve high status as Painter to the King at the English court of Henry VIII.Holbein had a talent to engage with his clients, proven by repeated commissions.He could capture a moment in time, from Erasmus sitting in his study in Basel, to rich Hanseatic merchants seated in their London offices.His gift as a painter was grounded in a sound knowledge of pigments, practical costings and time required to complete a work.In his lifetime he created a unique portfolio of ground-breaking art, predominantly in portraiture.This glorious and comprehensive volume is both a biography and gallery of his work