Erasmus of Rotterdam

Hans Holbein the Younger painted ‘Erasmus of Rotterdam’ ca. 1532. The oil on linden panel measures just 7 1/4 x 5 9/16 inches. A small portrait for such a formidable subject.

The painted surface is slightly smaller than the panel itself, measuring 6 15/16 x 5 1/2 inches. Holbein’s precision in oil on such a diminutive scale remains notable.

Holbein produced multiple portraits of Erasmus, each capturing the humanist’s intellectual aura. This version is part of the Robert Lehman Collection.

Holbein was active in Switzerland and England. Known for his detailed portraiture, he worked during the Northern Renaissance era.

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459080

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