Fine Art Poster
From $39
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Ambassadors - Hans Holbein the Younger
Regular price
$39.00 USD
Sale price
$39.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A masterpiece of Northern Renaissance portraiture, this 1533 work by Hans Holbein the Younger features two diplomats surrounded by symbolic objects and a famous anamorphic skull.
The Ambassadors is a double portrait painted by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1533. It depicts Jean de Dinteville, the French ambassador to England, and his friend Georges de Selve, the Bishop of Lavaur. The two men stand on either side of a high table, which is covered in objects that represent the liberal arts, science, and the tensions of the era. The upper shelf contains celestial instruments, while the lower shelf holds terrestrial items, including a lute with a broken string, a hymn book, and a globe.
Holbein employs a meticulous technique, capturing the textures of the fur, the sheen of the silk garments, and the precise details of the scientific instruments. The floor is based on the mosaic pavement of the sanctuary in Westminster Abbey, grounding the figures in a specific English context. The most famous element of the composition is the anamorphic skull stretched across the foreground. This distorted shape becomes recognisable as a human skull only when viewed from a sharp angle from the side. It acts as a memento mori, a reminder of the inevitability of death amidst the worldly knowledge and political power displayed by the two subjects.
The painting is a primary example of the Northern Renaissance interest in optics, perspective, and symbolic detail. Holbein, who was active in the court of Henry VIII, demonstrates his mastery of light and shadow, creating a sense of physical presence for both sitters. The work remains in the collection of the National Gallery in London, where it continues to be studied for its complex iconography and technical precision. This fine art print reproduces the clarity and depth of the original panel, allowing for a close examination of the various objects and the subtle expressions of the two diplomats.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Ambassadors - Hans Holbein the Younger
Regular price
From $39.00 USD
Sale price
From $39.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / Small Square (30x30 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Hans Holbein The Younger
Holbein painted Henry VIII so convincingly that his image of the king has replaced the actual person in the public imagination. The Whitehall mural, destroyed by fire in 1698, showed Henry standing with his legs apart, hands on hips, filling the frame with physical authority. Everyone who has ever pictured Henry VIII has pictured Holbein's version.
He was born in Augsburg, Germany, the son of a painter also called Hans Holbein. He studied under his father and was working independently by his late teens. He moved to Basel, where he painted portraits and religious works and illustrated Erasmus's In Praise of Folly with marginal drawings. Erasmus recommended him to Thomas More in England, writing that 'the arts are freezing' in Basel and Holbein should try his luck elsewhere.
He arrived in London in 1526 and painted More's family portrait, the first group portrait of a domestic scene in Northern European art. He returned to Basel, found the Reformation had destroyed the market for religious art, and went back to England permanently in 1532.
His portraits of the Tudor court are the visual record of the period: Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn (probably), Jane Seymour, and the succession of courtiers and merchants who populated Henry's orbit. The technique is almost supernaturally precise. The textures of fur, velvet, jewellery, and skin are rendered with a fidelity that makes other portraitists look approximate.
He was sent to paint prospective brides for Henry, including Anne of Cleves, whose portrait Henry found more attractive than the person. Holbein was not blamed. He died during a plague outbreak in London in 1543, at forty-five.
He was born in Augsburg, Germany, the son of a painter also called Hans Holbein. He studied under his father and was working independently by his late teens. He moved to Basel, where he painted portraits and religious works and illustrated Erasmus's In Praise of Folly with marginal drawings. Erasmus recommended him to Thomas More in England, writing that 'the arts are freezing' in Basel and Holbein should try his luck elsewhere.
He arrived in London in 1526 and painted More's family portrait, the first group portrait of a domestic scene in Northern European art. He returned to Basel, found the Reformation had destroyed the market for religious art, and went back to England permanently in 1532.
His portraits of the Tudor court are the visual record of the period: Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, Anne Boleyn (probably), Jane Seymour, and the succession of courtiers and merchants who populated Henry's orbit. The technique is almost supernaturally precise. The textures of fur, velvet, jewellery, and skin are rendered with a fidelity that makes other portraitists look approximate.
He was sent to paint prospective brides for Henry, including Anne of Cleves, whose portrait Henry found more attractive than the person. Holbein was not blamed. He died during a plague outbreak in London in 1543, at forty-five.
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Fine Art Framed
From $119
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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