Evening star., 1941-08-03

growing more primitive as he grew
older, rather than more sophisti-
Gated. This conviction is based on a
comparison between Holbein's
paintings such as "Lais Corinthiaca. :"
The Meyer Family" and others
done in Basle, and the portraits
painted during his last sojourn in
England, the former being more
strongly modelled and richer in ham
ding of light and shade, whereas
the latter were without shading and
rather fat like enlarged miniatures.
1t is thought that this was the re-
suit of demand rather than in
clination. 1t was the fiat portraits
which were wanted and which he
therefore produced. But how enor-
mously skillfully he did them and
how much character he expressed
with these simplest of methods.
In this particular it is interesting
to note that the right hand of Ed
ward VI. as Prince of Wales. is
very reminiscent of that of the "Lais
Corinthiaca." although turned in
an opposite direction and shown
without shadow.
Son Well Taught.
That Holbein was a consummate
craftsman none will deny. With him
this was an inherent quality or gift.
His father. Hans Holbein. the elder.
of Augsburg, where his son and
namesake was born in 1897, was
an artist of no small ability and by
him. Hans. the younger was well
taught and disciplined. 1t was for
this reason that when the family
fortunes failed in 1914 he and his
brother turned their steps 10 Basel.
sure that there among the many
book printers they could find lucra-
tive employment as designers and
illustrators.
During the u years that Holbein
stayed in Basel, he turned o6t an
enormous amount of work. and
there is now in Basle Museum a
manuscript by Erasmus. the margins
of which are covered by sketches
made by Holbein as suggested illus
trations. 1t was during these years.
furthermore. that he did his little
wood cuts of The Dance of Death"
world famous-into which he is
said, by fellow artists, to have
packed more action, more energy,
more fancy in small compass than
any one else that ever lived" These
tiny blocks are. indeed, among the
worlds masterpieces of both design
and execution.
1t should be remembered also that
Holbein turned his hand to many
kinds of art. Reference has been
made to the triumphal arch which
he designed for the coronation of a
Queen: but also. with equal interest
and energy. designed jeWelry and
did mural paintings THAT for the
great Chamber. Whitehall, of which
only fragment of the cartoon sur
wives includes. in the Royal family
group, the only authentic portrait
by Holbein of Henry Wild. He also
painted miniatures, having taken
lessons from a court miniatuTist in
order to master the technique No
wonder Holbein is said to have had
a wonderful fertility of invention
and a precocious mastery of many
media.
Italian Influence.
His art at first was strongly Ger
man in accent but gradually it be-
came freer, and with the italian in
fluence which swept north across
Switzerland to Flanders was OBJ
viously felt. That he had fine
sense not only of design but color
is attested by series of cartoons
for stained glass in the Basle mu-
scum. Always his drawing of hands
was especially good. and the fire.
quency with which he included them
in his portraits would seem to indi-
cate his interest in such representa-
ton. There is in existence a sheet
of studies made by him for his
portrait of Erasmus tnow in the
Louvre), little short of marvellous,
and the hands in the painting itself
once seen can never be forgotten
as for that matter can those in the
portrait here of little Edward.
But above all else, Hans Holbein,
the Younger-our Holbein of the
National Gallery had a genius for
friendship. If he had not-would
he have won the affection and con-
fldence of man like Erasmus
the welcome and cooperation of one
so strong of character and incapable
of compromise with evil as Sir
Thomas More: so high in rank and
rich in learning as Sir Brian Tuke
or the continued liking of one SO
selfish and whimsical as the Royal
father of the little prince? 1t would
have been impossible.
He did not live an easy life nor did
he live in peaceful times, but he
achieved even more than many for
whom the way has been made more
easy. In his work he seems to have
forgotten himself. In giving others
Immortality he himself became i'm
mortal. To have such one so we'll
represented here in our National
Gallery of Art is indeed fortunate.
How proud Erasmus, More and
Tuke must have been of their young
protese!