Not Just the Tudors Hans Holbein: New Discoveries
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Nov 13, 2025 
Dr. Elizabeth Goldring, a historian and author specializing in Hans Holbein, shares groundbreaking insights into the artist's life and techniques. She discusses how modern scientific analysis has uncovered hidden layers and lost details in Holbein's paintings. Goldring reveals the implications of Holbein's left-handedness and explores his early training, influences from Augsburg, and connections to Erasmus. The conversation highlights Holbein's innovative portrait style and the role his masterpieces played in Tudor diplomacy and culture.
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Pentimenti Reveal Holbein's Perfectionism
- Infrared and x-ray show pentimenti that reveal Holbein's repeated reworkings and perfectionism.
- These changes give direct access to his creative process and dialogue with patrons.
Holbein's Left Hand Was Not A Handicap
- Holbein was left‑handed, a trait viewed positively in some German crafts contexts.
- His family drawings even show him holding a brush in his left hand as a child.
A Chance Meeting With Erasmus Changed Everything
- By chance Holbein landed in Basel just as Erasmus moved there, which changed his career trajectory.
- That Basel connection put Holbein on a path that eventually led him to England's Tudor court.
