Hans Holbein

Oil painting of Sir Thomas More in a black cap and fur-lined black cloak against a green curtain
Mapping Provenance: Holbein's "Sir Thomas More"
The journey of an artwork is rarely a smooth one, and what we know about the ownership history of Holbein’s Sir Thomas More (1527) is notable for its gaps. Explore an interactive map tracing the fragmentary path of this panel from Tudor England to the second floor of Frick Madison.
Miniature painting of bust portrait of Renaissance-era woman holding a book
Holbein Miniatures
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The Frick Collection offered the public a unique opportunity to view two miniatures by the German artist Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98–1543) representing Margaret and William Roper, members of Sir Thomas More's family.

A book cover featuring a painted portrait of a man's face with the text "Living Histories: Queer Views and Old Masters"
New Frick Book Explores Queer Views and Old Masters
Close up of painting with man standing in desert with arms outstretched
August Refurbishment of Frick Living Hall Presents Visitors with a Fresh Viewing Opportunity: Bellini, Titian, Holbein, & El Greco — Several Paintings Shown in Different Lighting and Setting for the First Time in More Than Ninety Years
video still of Xavier Salomon and oil painting of man with hat, and distinct necklace
Cocktails with a Curator: Holbein's 'Sir Thomas More'

In this week’s episode of “Cocktails with a Curator,” Xavier F. Salomon, Deputy Director and Peter Jay Sharp Chief Curator, examines one of the Frick’s most beloved paintings, Hans Holbein’s “Sir Thomas More.” Xavier considers More's relationship to humanist circles and the role of "friendship portraits" in making the absent present. In the words of More's devoted friend, Desiderius Erasmus, “life without a friend is no life." As a nod to the turbulent times of Tudor England, Xavier pairs this episode with a Bloody Mary cocktail.

Link to video about Hans Holbein, the Younger's painting, 'Sir Thomas More'
Hans Holbein, the Younger, "Sir Thomas More"

Hans Holbein came to London from Switzerland in 1526, only a year before he dated this portrait. With a letter of introduction from the philosopher Erasmus, Holbein entered the rarefied circle of Sir Thomas More (1477/78-1535) and was soon living near him in Chelsea. More, in a letter back to Erasmus, spoke of Holbein as "a wonderful artist." Famed as a humanist scholar and author of the Utopia, More was a powerful statesman as well. By this time, he had already served Henry VIII as privy councillor for over a decade and became his lord chancellor in 1529.