10 LIFE OF HOLBEIN.

finished with the utmost delicacy. In general,he painted on a green ground, but in hissmall pictures frequently he painted on a blue.The invention of Holbein was surprisinglyfruitful, and often poetical; his execution wasremarkably quick, and his application indefati-gable. His pencil was exceedingly delicate;his colouring had a wonderful degree of force;he finished his pictures with exquisite neat-ness ; and his carnations were life itself. Hisgenuine works are always distinguishable bythe true, round, lively imitation of flesh, vi-sible in all his portraits, and also by theamazing delicacy of his finishing.

It is observed by most authors, that Hol-bein always painted with his left hand; thoughWalpole objects against that tradition, (whathe considers as a proof), that in a portrait ofHolbein painted by himself, which was in theArundelian collection, he is represented hold-ing the pencil in the right hand. But thatevidence cannot be sufficient to set aside sogeneral a testimony of the most authentic