PREFACE.

JOHN or HANS HOLBfittf was born at Basil in 1498,and tlied at London of the plague in 1554, aged 56. This ad-mirable Runter was instructed in the art by Ins father JOHNHOLBEINi In the early part of his life, iie pursued his stu-dies with incessant assiduity; and being possessed of an ele-vated genius, his progress was exceedingly rapid; so that hesoon became far superior to his instructor. He painted equallywell in oil, water colours, and in fresco; and although he hadnever praetfaed the art of painting in niiniature tili he resided inEngland, yet he afterwards carried it to its highest perfection.

The invention of Holbein was suprisingly fruit ful, and oftenpoetioal; hii exocution was romnrkably quick, and his applica-tion indefatigable. Mis pencil was exceedingly delicate; hiscolaring had a wonderful degree of force ; he ünished his pioturefl with exquisite ncatness: and his carnations were life itself.II e excelled all his cotemporaries in portrait, and his genuineworks are always distinguishable by the true, round, lively imi-lation of flesh visible in them, and also by the amazing delicacy<>f his finishing.

The genius and excellence of this niaster were sufficiently-hu n in the historical style, by two celebrated compositionswhich he painted in the Hall of the Steel-yard Company; ofwhich tfie subjeets were the Triumph of Riches, and the condi-tion of Poverty : these two are universally admired fortherich-nt'<s of the colouring, as also for the strong character of thefigures through the whole. Frederick Zucchero, on seeingthese pictures, expressed the highest esteem for Ilolbein, andeven copied them in lndian ink.