Portrait of Hans Holbein
Medium
Etching and engraving; first state of four
Dimensions
Height: 5 9/16 in. (14.2 cm) Width: 4 5/16 in. (11 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Barbara E. Fox, from the Collection of Howard A. Fox, MD, and Barbara E. Fox, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2020
Accession Number
2020.83.4
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate etching and engraving, titledPortrait of Hans Holbein captures the likeness of the renowned Renaissance painter Hans Holbein the Younger Created by the Bohemian artist Wenceslaus Hollar 1647—over a century after Holbein's death in 3—it measures just 5 9/16 by 4 5/16 inches, making it an intimate gem in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's and Prints collection. As the first state of four this rare early impression preserves Hollar's initial lines before later refinements, offering a glimpse into the printmaking process. Holbein, celebrated for his precise portraits of Tudor England,...