The Ambassadors (1533) by Hans Holbein the YoungerThe National Gallery, London
This celestial globe, a map of the stars, is the first clue to our painting’s identity. Located almost in the center of the image, the globe is a symbol of the heavenly realm. However, it is misaligned, perhaps implying that something un-heavenly is afoot...
Almost directly beneath the celestial globe is a terrestrial one. Again, the viewer sees the globe upside down. Although Europe is clearly visible, it’s the great bulk of Northern Africa that draws the eye. This may be to indicate where navigators, explorers and kings were beginning to turn their gaze.
Above the globe is an array of other navigational equipment. This helps to emphasize the idea of exploration. It also shows that the figures in the image are outward looking and aware of the world around them.
At the time this image was painted, there was growing discord between the Pope and the court of King Henry VIII. The Pope had refused Henry permission to divorce his first wife and marry Anne Boleyn. And in fact, just a year after the painting was completed, Henry would break from Rome and form the Church of England. The broken strings on this lute are a symbol of this brewing schism.
The floor of the scene features a mosaic inspired by the pattern in the sanctuary of Westminster Abbey. This pattern was originally inscribed with a Latin phrase that referenced the ‘Macrocosmic archetype’. A renaissance philosophy that encompassed a number of different disciplines and held that an individual contains a miniature cosmos, or microcosm.
The painting features two man standing on opposite sides of the main array of objects. The figure on the right is dressed in clerical clothes. This may mean that he represents the church and the church’s influence.
The man on the left is dressed in secular clothes. His robes are larger, richer and more brightly colored that those of his counterpart. This creates a striking contrast in the image and helps to give the men their own distinct characters.
Perhaps the most notable detail of this tableau is the anamorphic skull that’s painted right in the middle of the lower part of the image. The skull isn’t placed on a shelf or on the floor. Instead it appears to float. It can only be seen properly when viewed from a certain angle, giving the painting an air of mystery.
Have you identified the painting?
'The Ambassadors', by Hans Holbein the Younger
Painted in 1533, The Ambassadors is one of Hans Holbein the Younger’s most famous works. Almost life size, its intricate detail, symbolism and clever lighting have made it a stand out work from the Tudor period.
The image features Georges de Selve, Bishop of Levaur, and Jean de Dinteville, French ambassador to England. Dinteville commissioned the unusually large painting to hang in his chateau at Polisy.
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The Ambassadors is currently on display at The National Gallery in London. Take a look around for a virtual tour of this beautiful museum.
Portrait of Henry VIII of England (Around 1537) by Hans Holbein, the YoungerMuseo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza
Learn more about the life and works of Hans Holbein the Younger here.
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