Hans Holbein's The French Ambassadors

Hans Holbein The Younger, The French Ambassadors, 1533. Oil and tempera on wood.

The French Ambassadors is the most famous work by Holbein. This painting shows two rich, educated and powerful young men with books and instruments. On the left is Jean de Dinteville, French ambassador to Englan. On the right side is his friend, Georges de Selve, bishop of Lavaur.  The painting is well known for its anamorphic image of a skull in the foreground, the still life of several meticulously rendered objects on the shelf between the two men have a lot of hidden mysteries.

In the middle is a shelf covered with many objects that include the four mathematical sciences: arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy.  The objects on the upper shelf which reflects the heavens include a celestial globe, compasses, sundial, cylindrical calendar, level, and quadrant used for understanding the heavens and measuring time. On the lower shelf which reflects living world, musical instruments, a hymn book, a book of arithmetic, and a terrestrial globe. In the front is the anamorphosis image of a skull, a symbol of mortality.

The conflicts between secular and religious authorities were reflected symbolically in the details. For example, the figure on the left is in secular attire while the figure on the right is dressed in clerical clothes. The broken lute string signifies religious divisions. The open book is Lutheran hymn book may be a plea for Christian harmony. A crucifix is half-obscured by a green curtain in the top left corner of the painting, symbolizing the division of the church.

One of the most famous aspects of the painting is the huge distorted skull at the bottom center. This painting may hang in a stairwell, so when people walking up and down the stairs and passing the painting would be startled by the complete appearance of the skull. This painting also has many beautiful details such as various textiles including the floor mosaic.

In summary, The French Ambassadors is more than just a double portrait. It also reflects the political, religious, and his personal philosophy of life.  In addition, it is a much-cited example of anamorphosis in painting.



Reference:
The Ambassadors (Holbein), Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, 23 September 2014,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ambassadors_%28Holbein%29