Extended Response
Use the structural frame to write a one-page critical evaluation of Holbein’s ambassadors, using the scaffold.
Holbein’s Ambassadors is a grand double oil portrait depicting two men, Jean de Dinteville on the left and Georges de Selve on the right, separated by shelves of meticulously detailed objects, rich with symbolism and underlying meaning. The figures are life-size, as the painting reaches just over two by two metres. The painting is vivid in its colours and captivating in its subjects – Holbein uses rich greens, reds and blues to emphasise the grandiose sense of wealth that is exuded from this painting, and the many objects that cluster in the central shelf of this painting enthrals the eye in its many details. In the many object, a few significant things that can be noticed are the celestial and earthy globes, the lute and pipes, books, assorted scientific equipment, and, quite subtly, the half-hidden crucifix in the top-left background corner. The bizarre form on the foreground of the floor is an anamorphic skull, which is full of its own meaning and suggestion. These many elements of the painting connect together to create a captivating and intriguing artwork.
The way in which Holbein has constructed this work is representative of the renaissance era, a tradition of masterfully rendered realism using oil paints and richly toned pigments. The highly realistic texture of fur, fabric and other surfaces assist this style, and creates a masterful compilation. He fully employs the newly-discovered intricacies of perspective in the tiles on the floor, the design reminiscent of that in Westminster Abbey, giving depth and intrigue to the painting. He carefully divides the painting using line and form, leading the eye around the painting. The hyperrealism and intense colouring draw the eye in initially, and allow the eye to explore the many different facets of the painting to reveal the underlying meaning.
The assortment of little details assist to a painting that is representative of the status of the two men, as well as the society at the time. De Dinteville presents his high status through his extravagant, fur-lined clothing and his personalised dagger, an expression of his place in society. De Delve does the same, albeit more modestly, which is suggestive of his association as a bishop with the church. The features of the lute with the broken string, the juxtaposition of the earthy and celestial globes and the anamorphic skull all contribute to the overall sense of underlying discord within the painting. This is indicative of the social unrest between scholars and religion that resulted from the Protestant Reformation from 1517 to 1648. The lute, normally a symbol of harmony, is contrasted with the broken string, showing conflict within the scene, emphasised by the two globes. The skull is representative of how by normal appearances the context seems untroubled, yet when one looks at the painting from a different angle, there is a stark reminder of the closeness of death and discord in life. These elements combine to form an underlying communication of the discord in society at the time between that of scholarly pursuits and religion. The two men are representative of these two different spheres of society at the time, and are supported by the numerous symbolic objects in the painting. Overall, this work is simple in its presentation, a normal double portrait of two friends, yet is a treasure trove of intrigue and controversy from the context.
Within the double portrait ‘Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve’ (‘The Ambassadors’) 1533 we are confronted by two regal and imposing figures. The man depicted on left is Jean de Dinteville, the official standing French Ambassador of the time. The figure displayed on the right of the canvas is his fellow diplomat and associate, the Bishop of Lavaur, Georges de Selve. The title of the work ‘The Ambassadors’ leads audiences to believe the men are in close association with one another, most probably a withstanding social or political connection under the rule of King Henry the 8th. These two figures, while representative of the strong bonds of comradeship and alliance, also present a strong symbolic confliction between secular and religious authorities of the time. Jean de Dinteville, (wealthy landowner) and Georges de Selve (Bishop of Lavaur) represent opposing banks of this continual friction between the clergy and scholars.
Smith draws connections between two of Hans Holbein’s paintings ‘Family of Sir Thomas More’ (1527) and ‘The Ambassadors’ (1533), calling upon their similarities and underlying symbolism. Smith speaks about the subject of the first work being formal relationships – in the first it appears to be family, in the second work it is friendship and alliance. He recognises the “humanistic ambience and fundamental ambiguity” shared between the two works and believes their intense similarity meant Hans Holbien kept the first work in mind when creating the second. Smith states that the connections between the two are undeniable – the visual symbols of objects, like books, globes and instruments, are used to convey so much meaning. They allude to the earthly and heavenly ‘realms of being’, but also show an invisible tension between appearance and reality. It can also be noticed that each figure displays their status in the form of clothing and stance, similar in the way of The Ambassadors. The motifs of the juxtaposition of religious and secular representations are also carried through, in the form of the crucifix partially covered by the green drapery and the apposition of persons from each sphere of belief.
This said, each man represents himself and his status in a number of ways. De Dinteville shows his high secular status through his extravagant clothing, bright red colors trimmed with fur, and his significant display of jewellery and other finery, like his personalised dagger. His stance is assertive, his form filling nearly the entirety of the left portion of the work. De Selve, on the other hand, does not display wealth so lavishly – his modest, unassuming clothing shows his association with the church, and the conservative values they held toward wealth at the time. His stance and position in the painting also reflects this, filling up a lesser portion of the painting, allowing de Dinteville to capture the viewer’s attention. The anamorphic skull lends to the underlying presentation of discord in the painting, and the difference between appearance and reality. Whilst appearing like a random object when viewing the painting normally, it transforms into a skull, the symbol of death and the brevity of life, only when viewed at the right angle. This, alongside the other suggestions of discord – like the broken lute string – shows how that even by unassuming appearances, there are significant issues lying beneath the surface of the painting.
Use the structural frame to write a one-page critical evaluation of Holbein’s ambassadors, using the scaffold.
Holbein’s Ambassadors is a grand double oil portrait depicting two men, Jean de Dinteville on the left and Georges de Selve on the right, separated by shelves of meticulously detailed objects, rich with symbolism and underlying meaning. The figures are life-size, as the painting reaches just over two by two metres. The painting is vivid in its colours and captivating in its subjects – Holbein uses rich greens, reds and blues to emphasise the grandiose sense of wealth that is exuded from this painting, and the many objects that cluster in the central shelf of this painting enthrals the eye in its many details. In the many object, a few significant things that can be noticed are the celestial and earthy globes, the lute and pipes, books, assorted scientific equipment, and, quite subtly, the half-hidden crucifix in the top-left background corner. The bizarre form on the foreground of the floor is an anamorphic skull, which is full of its own meaning and suggestion. These many elements of the painting connect together to create a captivating and intriguing artwork.
The way in which Holbein has constructed this work is representative of the renaissance era, a tradition of masterfully rendered realism using oil paints and richly toned pigments. The highly realistic texture of fur, fabric and other surfaces assist this style, and creates a masterful compilation. He fully employs the newly-discovered intricacies of perspective in the tiles on the floor, the design reminiscent of that in Westminster Abbey, giving depth and intrigue to the painting. He carefully divides the painting using line and form, leading the eye around the painting. The hyperrealism and intense colouring draw the eye in initially, and allow the eye to explore the many different facets of the painting to reveal the underlying meaning.
The assortment of little details assist to a painting that is representative of the status of the two men, as well as the society at the time. De Dinteville presents his high status through his extravagant, fur-lined clothing and his personalised dagger, an expression of his place in society. De Delve does the same, albeit more modestly, which is suggestive of his association as a bishop with the church. The features of the lute with the broken string, the juxtaposition of the earthy and celestial globes and the anamorphic skull all contribute to the overall sense of underlying discord within the painting. This is indicative of the social unrest between scholars and religion that resulted from the Protestant Reformation from 1517 to 1648. The lute, normally a symbol of harmony, is contrasted with the broken string, showing conflict within the scene, emphasised by the two globes. The skull is representative of how by normal appearances the context seems untroubled, yet when one looks at the painting from a different angle, there is a stark reminder of the closeness of death and discord in life. These elements combine to form an underlying communication of the discord in society at the time between that of scholarly pursuits and religion. The two men are representative of these two different spheres of society at the time, and are supported by the numerous symbolic objects in the painting. Overall, this work is simple in its presentation, a normal double portrait of two friends, yet is a treasure trove of intrigue and controversy from the context.
Within the double portrait ‘Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve’ (‘The Ambassadors’) 1533 we are confronted by two regal and imposing figures. The man depicted on left is Jean de Dinteville, the official standing French Ambassador of the time. The figure displayed on the right of the canvas is his fellow diplomat and associate, the Bishop of Lavaur, Georges de Selve. The title of the work ‘The Ambassadors’ leads audiences to believe the men are in close association with one another, most probably a withstanding social or political connection under the rule of King Henry the 8th. These two figures, while representative of the strong bonds of comradeship and alliance, also present a strong symbolic confliction between secular and religious authorities of the time. Jean de Dinteville, (wealthy landowner) and Georges de Selve (Bishop of Lavaur) represent opposing banks of this continual friction between the clergy and scholars.
Smith draws connections between two of Hans Holbein’s paintings ‘Family of Sir Thomas More’ (1527) and ‘The Ambassadors’ (1533), calling upon their similarities and underlying symbolism. Smith speaks about the subject of the first work being formal relationships – in the first it appears to be family, in the second work it is friendship and alliance. He recognises the “humanistic ambience and fundamental ambiguity” shared between the two works and believes their intense similarity meant Hans Holbien kept the first work in mind when creating the second. Smith states that the connections between the two are undeniable – the visual symbols of objects, like books, globes and instruments, are used to convey so much meaning. They allude to the earthly and heavenly ‘realms of being’, but also show an invisible tension between appearance and reality. It can also be noticed that each figure displays their status in the form of clothing and stance, similar in the way of The Ambassadors. The motifs of the juxtaposition of religious and secular representations are also carried through, in the form of the crucifix partially covered by the green drapery and the apposition of persons from each sphere of belief.
This said, each man represents himself and his status in a number of ways. De Dinteville shows his high secular status through his extravagant clothing, bright red colors trimmed with fur, and his significant display of jewellery and other finery, like his personalised dagger. His stance is assertive, his form filling nearly the entirety of the left portion of the work. De Selve, on the other hand, does not display wealth so lavishly – his modest, unassuming clothing shows his association with the church, and the conservative values they held toward wealth at the time. His stance and position in the painting also reflects this, filling up a lesser portion of the painting, allowing de Dinteville to capture the viewer’s attention. The anamorphic skull lends to the underlying presentation of discord in the painting, and the difference between appearance and reality. Whilst appearing like a random object when viewing the painting normally, it transforms into a skull, the symbol of death and the brevity of life, only when viewed at the right angle. This, alongside the other suggestions of discord – like the broken lute string – shows how that even by unassuming appearances, there are significant issues lying beneath the surface of the painting.