Hans Holbein the Younger, Volume 1 (of 2)

Hans Holbein the Younger produced some of the most arresting portraits in Western art. His unflinching depictions of Henry VIII and his court captured the raw power, paranoia, and splendor of the Tudor throne with a realism that still startles five centuries later. This comprehensive biography, the first of two volumes, traces Holbein's journey from his native Basel through his formative years in Switzerland and his transformative career in England, where he became the most sought-after portraitist in the realm. Chamberlain draws extensively on primary sources including the Calendars of Letters and Papers from Henry VIII's reign to reconstruct not only Holbein's life but the entire artistic milieu of Tudor London. He examines the foreign and English painters and craftsmen at work during Henry's reign, painting a vivid picture of the competitive world that shaped Holbein's ascent. Volume 1 also explores the Holbein family legacy, including his father Hans Holbein the Elder and brother Ambrosius, establishing the artistic lineage that produced one of history's most penetrating portraitists.