Hans Holbein the Younger, Anne of Cleves, 1539. Louvre, Paris.
Join ARTscapades for a lively discussion as art historian Elizabeth Goldring chats with Michael Prodger, associate editor at the New Statesman, about her new definitive biography of Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1497-1543), the artist who, more than any other, has shaped our image of the Tudor court for five hundred years.
This landmark scholarly biography of Holbein, court painter to Henry VIII, is the first in more than a century. From his early days in Augsburg and Basel to his lasting impact on British art and culture, it sheds light on the artist, explores his famous portraits of Tudor figures – Henry VIII, his queens, would-be wives, and leading courtiers such as Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell – and examines iconic works including The Ambassadors.
Goldring situates Holbein’s art within the broader context of Tudor Britain, tracing the birth of collecting, connoisseurship and art history itself. Including rarely seen paintings from private collections, this biography weaves the latest research – including new archival discoveries and scientific analysis – into a fresh examination of Holbein’s life and work.
Holbein: Renaissance Master by Dr Elizabeth Goldring is published by Yale University Press/Paul Mellon Centre for Studies in British Art (11 November 2025). Talk ticket holders will receive a special offer of 25% off when ordering the book via Yale University Press London website. UK orders only.
This event will be recorded. Ticket holders are emailed a link to view the recording afterwards which is available for one month. Proceeds from ARTscapades ticket sales benefit museums, galleries and other arts-based organisations and projects.
This is an online event hosted on Zoom which can be watched live with Q&A, or on-demand for one month afterwards. You will receive your link to access the event in your email confirmation and the on-demand link after the event ends.