Portret van Desiderius Erasmus, humanist

Hans Holbein the Younger's Portret van Desiderius Erasmus, humanist (1501) demonstrates the vitality of sixteenth-century German-English painting at the height of the High Renaissance. As the greatest portrait painter of the Northern Renaissance and court painter to Henry VIII, Hans Holbein the Younger approaches the subject with psychological penetration and psychological penetration, producing a work of both technical accomplishment and expressive power.

The painting showcases Hans Holbein the Younger's precise draftsmanship, with luminous color lending the work its distinctive character. The palette and brushwork are calibrated to serve the subject matter, demonstrating the technical command expected of a work from this period.