HOLBEIN, Hans the Elder
(b. 1460/65, Augsburg, d. 1524, Isenheim)

Ambrosius and Hans Holbein

1511
Silverpoint on white-coated paper, 103 x 155 mm
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen, Berlin

"Prosy" and "Hanns," wrote Holbein the Elder over the heads of his two youthful sons: Hans is on the right, his elder brother Ambrosius is on the left. The hand-written notes make this silverpoint drawing one of the most personal documents of an artist's family of the early modern era. The sheet probably comes from a sketchbook in which various portraits were kept. Even though no setting is indicated, these two individual studies have the effect of two people turned towards each other.