The Ambassadors: A Painting by Hans Holbein
This double portrait has many hidden messages
The Ambassadors, by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497–1543) may on the face of it appear to be a magnificent near-life-size double portrait, but closer inspection reveals a whole host of hidden messages.
Hans Holbein
Hans Holbein, born in Augsburg, was the son of an artist and he was therefore able to develop his skills from an early age. He spent some years working as a professional artist in Basel before arriving in England, initially at the invitation of Sir Thomas More. In 1536 he became court painter to King Henry VIII, and it is Holbein’s portraits of Henry and his circle that come to mind today when we think about that era.
However, Holbein spent some years actively trying to get himself noticed, and The Ambassadors was one of the show pieces, painted in 1533, that he hoped would do the job.
The Ambassadors
The ambassadors in question were Jean de Dinteville, the French ambassador in London, and Georges de Selve, the Bishop of Lavaur in southern France who also performed diplomatic duties. The two men were friends, and it is possible that Dinteville had asked Holbein to include de Selve in the portrait as he was paying a visit to London at the…
