Portret van Hans Holbein (I) 1759 - 1815

This is Heinrich Pfenninger's undated portrait of Hans Holbein I. It's an engraving, which situates it within a broader history of printmaking and the circulation of images. Pfenninger was a Swiss artist working in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a time of significant political and social upheaval. Holbein, the subject, was a German artist from the 16th century, known for his portraits of the Tudor court. Pfenninger’s choice to depict Holbein may reflect the 18th-century’s fascination with the Renaissance and a desire to connect with a perceived golden age of artistic achievement. The portrait presents Holbein as a respectable, intellectual figure, reinforcing the idea of the artist as a skilled craftsman, but also as a person of refined sensibilities. Consider how this image serves to construct an artistic lineage, connecting Pfenninger to Holbein across the centuries. It prompts us to think about the artist's role in shaping cultural memory.