DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.48088#0565
138
HANS HOLBEIN.
figures. The Saint stands here, not as an appariton, but in bodily reality, in the midst of the
pious group, all of whom are conscious of her sacred presence, and all share the blessing imparted
by the hand of the Divine child.
The Dresden picture, the product of a later period, shows a difference in the proportions,
apparently the copyist considered the arrangement of the figures and the architectural background
too compressed, and added height to the picture, thus giving an undeniable increase of freedom
in the design, whilst not detracting from the general harmony of the composition. In one other
respect the copy has an advantage over the original, in the latter the head of the Madonna is
overpainted, and therefore falls short of the perfect womanly grace and beauty of the Dresden
copy. In other respects the copy is far superior to the original, which displays the masterhand
of Holbein in every detail, every face and hand is life-like, and the most perfect finish has been
bestowed even on details of dress and ornamentation.
Holbein’s work at Basle, during this period, was not confined to painting. A mention of
the pen and ink drawings executed at this epoch and now amongst the treasures in the Basle
Museum is necessary in order to complete our survey. Besides religious compositions we have
drawings of secular subjects, amongst these, graceful female figures, numerous representations of
peasant life, and outlines of battles, all attractive from their originality. The subjects for glass-
painting are very numerous: coats of arms, with knights bearing them, then figures of the Saints,
and a series of representations of Christ’s Passion, which are scarcely inferior to the famous
scenes from the Passion. The decorative borders are all in the style of the renaissance, whilst
the outlines evidence great force and energy. At that time, Basle was a centre of the book-
trade, and therefore Holbein received numerous commissions for wood-engravings, initials, titles,
and illustrations. In this manner he treated subjects from mythology and from ancient history
and the ornamental taste of the artist was displayed in borders, arches, pillars, gables; which
were enlivened by cupids and allegorical figures. We also find comic scenes from peasant life,
From the commencement of the Reformation these illustrations were not confined to editions of
the classics, but translations of the Bible, and works by the Reformers, and especially by Luther,
were similarly illustrated. Some of Holbein’s most spirited compositions are satirical drawings
on the subjects of the Reformation; the most remarkable of these is aimed with great vigour, at
the traffic in indulgences.
A series, illustrative of the Old Testament, was the result of the growing contrition of the
day, that the whole Bible should be placed in the hands of the people. This series, however,
as well as Holbein’s most celebrated creation in wood-engraving, “The pictures of death,” were
not published until the year 1538, at Lyons, because the engraver, Hans Lutzelburger, a master
in his art, had died in 1526, and it was long before a sufficiently accomplished artist could be
found for the execution of the work. Within the limits permitted to engravings, Holbein gives
abundant evidence of his power. In the Old Testament pictures, we have a union of dramatic
representation with speaking character, whilst in the death scenes, to these qualities are added a
noble irony and a powerful tragedy, thus a subject which had been a favourite topic for centuries,
gains a new charm under his hand. During the last centuries of the middle-ages numerous
representations of the dance of death had been painted in church-yards and cloisters, as earnest
warnings of the transitory nature of life. The subject was viewed in a fresh aspect by Holbein,
he still represented sinners of every race and rank as seized by death, but the dance is given up
and in its place we have a series of separate dramatic scenes, every individual is seized in some:
HANS HOLBEIN.
figures. The Saint stands here, not as an appariton, but in bodily reality, in the midst of the
pious group, all of whom are conscious of her sacred presence, and all share the blessing imparted
by the hand of the Divine child.
The Dresden picture, the product of a later period, shows a difference in the proportions,
apparently the copyist considered the arrangement of the figures and the architectural background
too compressed, and added height to the picture, thus giving an undeniable increase of freedom
in the design, whilst not detracting from the general harmony of the composition. In one other
respect the copy has an advantage over the original, in the latter the head of the Madonna is
overpainted, and therefore falls short of the perfect womanly grace and beauty of the Dresden
copy. In other respects the copy is far superior to the original, which displays the masterhand
of Holbein in every detail, every face and hand is life-like, and the most perfect finish has been
bestowed even on details of dress and ornamentation.
Holbein’s work at Basle, during this period, was not confined to painting. A mention of
the pen and ink drawings executed at this epoch and now amongst the treasures in the Basle
Museum is necessary in order to complete our survey. Besides religious compositions we have
drawings of secular subjects, amongst these, graceful female figures, numerous representations of
peasant life, and outlines of battles, all attractive from their originality. The subjects for glass-
painting are very numerous: coats of arms, with knights bearing them, then figures of the Saints,
and a series of representations of Christ’s Passion, which are scarcely inferior to the famous
scenes from the Passion. The decorative borders are all in the style of the renaissance, whilst
the outlines evidence great force and energy. At that time, Basle was a centre of the book-
trade, and therefore Holbein received numerous commissions for wood-engravings, initials, titles,
and illustrations. In this manner he treated subjects from mythology and from ancient history
and the ornamental taste of the artist was displayed in borders, arches, pillars, gables; which
were enlivened by cupids and allegorical figures. We also find comic scenes from peasant life,
From the commencement of the Reformation these illustrations were not confined to editions of
the classics, but translations of the Bible, and works by the Reformers, and especially by Luther,
were similarly illustrated. Some of Holbein’s most spirited compositions are satirical drawings
on the subjects of the Reformation; the most remarkable of these is aimed with great vigour, at
the traffic in indulgences.
A series, illustrative of the Old Testament, was the result of the growing contrition of the
day, that the whole Bible should be placed in the hands of the people. This series, however,
as well as Holbein’s most celebrated creation in wood-engraving, “The pictures of death,” were
not published until the year 1538, at Lyons, because the engraver, Hans Lutzelburger, a master
in his art, had died in 1526, and it was long before a sufficiently accomplished artist could be
found for the execution of the work. Within the limits permitted to engravings, Holbein gives
abundant evidence of his power. In the Old Testament pictures, we have a union of dramatic
representation with speaking character, whilst in the death scenes, to these qualities are added a
noble irony and a powerful tragedy, thus a subject which had been a favourite topic for centuries,
gains a new charm under his hand. During the last centuries of the middle-ages numerous
representations of the dance of death had been painted in church-yards and cloisters, as earnest
warnings of the transitory nature of life. The subject was viewed in a fresh aspect by Holbein,
he still represented sinners of every race and rank as seized by death, but the dance is given up
and in its place we have a series of separate dramatic scenes, every individual is seized in some: