Hans Holbein (1460 - 1524) |
Hans Holbein the Elder (c. 1460 - 1524) was a German painter.
He was born in Augsburg (Bavaria) as the son of a
well-to-do leather-worker. He was a citizens of Ulm in 1499 of Frankfurt in 1501. Later Holbein
lived and painted in Basle and the Alsace. Supposingly he was married to the daughter of the
engraver and painter Brickmaer von Stetton. Hans Holbein died in the monastry of Isenheim (Alsace),
in which he had sought refuge around 1520.
Hans Holbein and his brother Sigismund painted religious works in the late Gothic style.
Hans the Elder was a pioneer and leader in the transformation of German art from the
Gothic to the Renaissance style.
He was also a woodcut artist, designer of church windows and an illustrator of books.
One of his best known works in this domain is the series he did for The "Praise of Folly".
His sons Hans Holbein the Younger and Ambrosius Holbein had their first painting lessons from him.
In his late periods the style of Hans the Elder and Hans the Younger become very similiar, which
makes it difficult to differentiate their works.
Banknote displaying a painting of Hans Holbein the Elder
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