{"product_id":"title-border-for-thomas-mores-utopia-hans-holbein-the-younger","title":"Title Border for Thomas More's Utopia - Hans Holbein the Younger","description":"\u003cp\u003eA 1516 woodcut title border by Hans Holbein the Younger, designed for the first edition of Thomas More's Utopia.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis woodcut serves as the title border for the first edition of Thomas More's Utopia, published in Leuven in 1516. Hans Holbein the Younger, then a young artist working in Basel, designed this frame to enclose the opening text of the work. The composition reflects the humanist aesthetic of the period, incorporating classical architectural elements alongside playful, mythological figures.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe design features a central rectangular space for the printed text, framed by two columns topped with decorative capitals. Above, a central arch contains a small figure, while the sides are populated by putti, or small winged children, who interact with the architectural structure. At the base, a shield bearing a caduceus is held by further figures, flanked by smaller scenes of mythological creatures. The artist's initials, HAN and HOLB, are tucked into the upper corners of the border, providing a clear signature for this early commission.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe woodcut technique is evident in the firm, clear lines used to define the figures and the architectural shadows. The contrast between the black ink and the white paper creates a crisp, graphic quality suitable for the printed page. This work demonstrates the early development of Holbein's skill in graphic design, a craft he would continue to refine throughout his career as a portraitist and illustrator. The border is not merely a decorative frame, but a functional element of the book's physical presentation, guiding the reader into the text of More's philosophical treatise. Its balanced arrangement and attention to detail provide a window into the collaborative relationship between scholars and artists during the Northern Renaissance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"margin-top:2rem;padding-top:1.5rem;border-top:1px solid #e5e5e5;\"\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"font-size:0.85rem;color:#888;font-weight:600;margin:0 0 0.75rem;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.05em;\"\u003eYou might also like\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:0.5rem;\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/moses-condemning-the-midianite-women-and-children-veit-rudolf-specklin\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eMoses Condemning the Midianite Women and Children - Veit Rudolf Specklin — Veit Rudolf Specklin\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"\/products\/the-last-judgement-and-the-devil-cast-into-the-lake-of-fire-gerard-de-jode\" style=\"display:inline-block;background:#f8f9fa;border:1px solid #e5e5e5;border-radius:20px;padding:0.35rem 0.85rem;font-size:0.8rem;color:#2a555a;font-weight:500;text-decoration:none !important;background-image:none !important;\"\u003eThe Last Judgement and the Devil Cast into the Lake of Fire - Gerard de Jode — Gerard de Jode\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Hans Holbein the Younger","offers":[{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ -","offer_id":58601990291791,"sku":null,"price":29.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58601998877007,"sku":null,"price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Poster \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ -","offer_id":58601998909775,"sku":null,"price":49.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58601998942543,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58601998975311,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A4 (21x29.7 cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58601999008079,"sku":null,"price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58601999040847,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58601999073615,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A3 (29.7 x 42  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58601999106383,"sku":null,"price":119.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Black frame","offer_id":58601999139151,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Wood frame","offer_id":58601999171919,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Fine Art Framed \/ A2 (42 x 59.4  cm) \/ Dark wood frame","offer_id":58601999204687,"sku":null,"price":185.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0833\/9292\/1935\/files\/Title-Border-for-Thomas-More-s-Utopia_Poster_CompositorV1_1788055344088.jpg?v=1788056523","url":"https:\/\/www.solisprints.com\/products\/title-border-for-thomas-mores-utopia-hans-holbein-the-younger","provider":"Solis Prints","version":"1.0","type":"link"}