"Surely the finest example of English color printing"

Hans Holbein the Younger / Chamberlaine, John (ed.). Imitations of Original Drawings by Hans Holbein, in the Collection of His Majesty, for the Portraits of Illustrious Persons of the Court of Henry VIII. With Biographical Tracts.

€ 18,000.00

A fine copy of the first edition. This impressive example of 18th century British colour printing in an elaborate binding, boasting over eighty very fine plates, has been hailed as the best of its kind: "This magnificent work is surely the finest example of English color printing" (Ray); "In every way a splendid book" (Abbey). The original Holbein drawings upon which these prints are based were nearly lost, and were hardly seen for centuries until their rediscovery by none other than Queen Caroline of England. Upon being liberated from a bureau of the queen's personal closet at Kensington Palace, colour printed 'imitations' of the drawings were subsequently published under the auspices of John Chamberlaine (1745-1812), Keeper of the drawings of George III. Hardie writes of the copies that "there are few, if any, results more successfully and adequately achieved than these stippled illustrations". Biographical notices were provided by Edmund Lodge (1756-1839), and the whole work was issued over the years 1792 to 1800, with plates known in several states. The present copy includes plates on pink paper, on pink paper mounted on white sheets, and a few on white paper.

Holbein's portraits of the court of Henry VIII are not only beloved for their striking and vivid artistry, but for the way they define the image of the entire Tudor period. The finely produced prints showcase Holbein's abilities as a portraitist of some of the most famous - and infamous - faces in British history.