18th Annual Student Research Conference
Fine Arts
Hans Holbein the Younger and Politics In The Court Of King Henry VIII
Carrie B. Huot
Dr. Sara Orel, Dr. Julia DeLancey, and Dr. Kathryn Brammall, Faculty Mentors
The German painter, Hans Holbein the Younger, gained political alliances through commissions in order to become the court painter for King Henry VIII. Scholars have speculated that either Thomas More, Anne Boleyn, or Thomas Cromwell’s patronage aided in furthering Holbein’s career. It is hard to figure out who introduced Holbein to the Court, because we do not know when Holbein actually became Court painter. There has been some controversy over the date when Holbein became court painter, due to the fact that royal household accounts between the years 1533 and 1537 are missing. This paper will examine Holbein’s connections to his patrons and the influence of patrons over commissioned artwork in England during this time period. Whether patrons personally helped to further artists’ careers and how much control politics had over artists during this time period will also be discussed.
Keywords: Holbein, art history, King Henry VIII, Renaissance, England, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn
Topic(s):Art History
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 31-2
Location: OP 2210
Time: 2:30