Hans Holbein the Younger: From Basel to the Tudor Court (Part 1)

How did Hans Holbein become court painter to Henry VIII, one of the most notorious monarchs in British history? Without his stunning portraits would the Tudor period burn so brightly in the imagination? Join Alastair and James to find out how Holbein, an artist from a small town in southern Germany ended up kickstarting the story of British art.

If you want to see the artworks discussed in this episode you can switch on video in your podcast app at any time.

Artworks in this episode include:
Hans Holbein the Younger, The Ambassadors, 1533, The National Gallery, London
Hans Holbein the Younger, Self Portrait, c.1542-43, Uffizi Gallery, Florence
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam, 1523, The National Gallery, London
Hans Holbein the Younger, Portrait of Sir Thomas More, 1527, Frick Collection, New York
Hans Holbein the Younger, Study for a Portrait of Thomas More’s Family, c. 1527, Kunstmuseum, Basel

To see images of the artworks in this episode go to heni.com/storiesofart or visit the Heni Talks YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@HENITalks

Hosts: Alastair Sooke and Dr James Fox
Additional Research: Catherine Ingram
Producer and Editor: Ben Harding
Executive Producer: Emma Cahusac

Chapters

• 00:00:00 Introduction: The Ambassadors and Holbein's Legacy
• 00:04:36 Early Life in Augsburg: A Family of Artists
• 00:09:54 Moving to Basel
• 00:12:03 Holbein the Man: Brawls and Beer
• 00:16:08 The Erasmus Portraits: A Career-Defining Commission
• 00:26:48 Journey to England: From Basel to the Tudor Court
• 00:30:13 Tudor England: A Provincial Power with Growing Ambitions
• 00:34:13 Sir Thomas More: Holbein's First Great English Patron
• 00:41:12 The Greenwich Revels
• 00:46:47 Departure from England: An Unfinished Story