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Page 10
Holbein gave early proofs of his aspiring talent. When fifteen years
old, he exhibited an oil-painting, which, though defective in colouring,
raised high expectations by its clearness and softness of execution.
This painting is still to be seen in the public library at Basel, and
bears the date of 1513. Of the same year, a sketch, with the monogram
HH, is extant, representing three watchmen with halberds. His two
brothers were also painters; only a few paintings are left of the elder,
Ambrose, and none of the younger brother Bruno; both died prematurely.
In the year 1520, Holbein was presented with the freedom of the town of
Basel.
Switzerland held constant communications with Germany and the
Netherlands, but less with Italy. A number of painters lived at that
time in Germany, whose names have not been recorded by any German
Vasari, and their master works have been long neglected. In Holbein's
time Albrecht Durer enjoyed the primary reputation. Martin Schoen had
preceded him at Colmar, in Alsace; Manuel painted at Bern, Hans Asper at
Zurich, and at Basel itself there were other painters besides Holbein.
Half a century before him the _Dance of Death_ had been painted,
after the disaster of a plague, on the walls of a church-yard at Basel.
The council-hall at Basel gave occupation to architects from 1508 till
1520. It is believed that Holbein painted three of the walls, only one
of which (hid behind old tapestry, and discovered again in 1817) has
escaped the ravages of time. It represents M. Curius Dentatus cooking
his dinner, whilst the Samnites offer silver plates with money. "The
last Judgment," where a pope, with priests and monks, sink into the
flames of hell, is not the work of Holbein, but was done in 1610, during
good Protestant times.
A good number of stories are told of Holbein. Unable to pay his debts in
a tavern, he discharged the bill by decorating the walls with paintings
of flowers. Another time, for a similar purpose, he covered the walls
all over with "the merry dance of peasants;" and in order to deceive one
of his employers, he painted his own legs beneath the high scaffolding,
that the watchful citizen should not suspect his having abandoned his
work to carouse in wine-cellars. Here our biographer gravely says, "a
man of spirit could not be expected to sit quietly painting the whole
day long in the heat of the sun, or in the rain; if he saw a good friend
go to the tavern, he felt disposed to follow him." Holbein did not keep
the best company; but in this he resembled Rembrandt, who said, that
when he wished to amuse himself, he avoided the company of the great,
which put a restraint upon him; "for pleasure," he adds, "consists in
perfect liberty only." Holbein no doubt felt a contempt for the great
people of his time, as they did not understand much about his art, which
he valued above all things.
Holbein's wife, and he married early, was a perfect Xantippe, too shrewd
to be despised, and not handsome enough to be admired. In the library at
Basel is a family picture of Holbein, in which she is introduced, almost
unconscious of the two children about her; but Holbein very shrewdly
forgot to paint himself there. But he took care of the interests of his
family, and obtained them a pension from the magistrates of Basel,
during his stay in England. This pension was paid for past services, and
in order to induce him finally to fix his residence in Switzerland.
The absence of matrimonial felicity was probably an additional motive
for Holbein to seek employment as an itinerant painter. He visited
several Swiss towns, but certainly never saw Luther and Melancthon, so
that the portraits of Luther and Melancthon exhibited in Italy, Germany,
and England, as works of Holbein, cannot be genuine; and it is very
improbable that he should have copied the works of Lucas Cranach, who
several times painted the portraits of those lights of the reformation.
Erasmus was frequently painted by Holbein; and as those portraits were
sent as presents to the friends of Erasmus, Holbein's name became known
all over Europe.
Holbein came to England in the year 1526, and Sir Thomas More wrote to
Erasmus that he would take care of him. Sir Thomas received him into his
own house at Chelsea, and there Henry VIII. saw him one day, when paying
a visit to the former. He took him instantly into his service, gave him
apartments in the royal palace, and a salary of 30_l_. a-year.
Holbein's long residence in the house of Sir Thomas More had a good
effect upon him; for although Erasmus describes the women of England as
"nymphae divinis vultibus, blandae, faciles," yet Holbein seems to have
resisted those temptations in London, which rendered his conduct at
Basel so reprehensible. Holbein twice revisited Switzerland, once in
1526, the second and last time in 1538: the zealots had just destroyed
all the images; and even some painters, infected with the spirit of the
age, had declared they would rather starve, than break the second
commandment. In England the same work of devastation took place; but
Henry VIII., notwithstanding, gave Holbein abundance of work, as he had
to paint all his royal consorts in succession, besides a number of
portraits for English noblemen.
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