Kaiser Heinrich bittet die Kaiserin um Vergebung (Werkstatt)

Hans Holbein the Elder painted this scene of Kaiser Heinrich Asking Forgiveness from the Empress around 1506 as part of a cycle depicting the life of Emperor Henry II and Empress Cunigunde. The imperial couple was canonized in 1146 and 1200 respectively, and their legend was a popular subject in Bavarian art. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with Holbein's refined technique and subtle characterization of the emotional exchange between the imperial figures. The workshop production maintains the high standards of the Augsburg master's atelier.