Monday 11th – Sunday 17th August, 2025
Step into the captivating world of Hans Holbein the Younger in this thrilling online event with Dr Owen Emmerson.
This week-long online event, taking place from Monday, 11th August 2025, at 11:00 AM BST, offers a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world and art of Hans Holbein the Younger.
Holbein is, without question, one of the most remarkable artists of the early modern period. From his beginnings as the son of a painter in late medieval Germany to becoming the Tudor court’s most celebrated portraitist, his story is as compelling as the art he left behind. We’ll follow his journey from Basel to London—from designing haunting woodcuts like the Dance of Death to capturing the intellect of Erasmus, Thomas More’s confidence, and Henry VIII’s raw power. We’ll explore how his art reflected the massive religious and political changes of his world—and how his unique style continues to shape the way we see the Tudor court today.
At the end of the course, I’ll host a live Q&A so we can discuss your questions and discuss Holbein together!
Plus, you will also get access to the 2024 Six Queens in Art lecture series (six lectures) and the 2023 Hidden History of Hever Castle lecture series (seven lectures).
Whether you are a history and art enthusiast or simply curious about this captivating era, don’t miss out on this virtual event that promises to go beyond what you already know about Holbein.
Mark your calendar and join me online for Holbein on August 11th, 2025, to explore the life and legacy of this master of the arts.
What Is Included?
- Six pre-recorded, 40-minute lectures by Dr Owen Emmerson.
- Access to all lectures for two months from the upload date.
- A live Zoom with Dr Owen Emmerson, who will answer your questions.
- Plus, you will also get access to the 2024 Six Queens in Art lecture series (six lectures) and the 2023 Hidden History of Hever Castle lecture series (seven lectures).
COST: £35.00 per person, plus booking fee.
Concessions
I am pleased to offer discounted concessionary price places for carers, senior citizens, NHS workers, students, recipients of Universal Credit, and for those who are unwaged. Please contact me at the below email address to receive a discount code.
Lecture Schedule
Monday, 11th August 2025
Lecture 1: Son of a Painter
Hans Holbein the Younger was born into a family of artists in Augsburg around 1497/98. This lecture introduces Holbein’s formative years, exploring his early training under his father and the artistic environment of late medieval Germany. We trace his move to Basel in 1515 with his brother Ambrosius, where he began to establish his own artistic identity. Through surviving early sketches and commissions, we see a young artist absorbing local traditions while increasingly drawn to the innovations of the Italian Renaissance—laying the foundation for one of the most celebrated portraitists of the early modern era.
Tuesday, 12th August 2025
Lecture 2: Scholars and Merchants
In 1526, facing growing unrest in Basel, Holbein travelled to England armed with a letter of introduction from Erasmus. This lecture examines his first English sojourn and his entry into the circles of Thomas More, London merchants, and the early Tudor court. His portraits from this period—of More, Nicholas Kratzer, and others—capture intellect, status, and individuality with striking realism. We also consider his studies for larger compositions and how this phase deepened his mastery of visual storytelling. Holbein returned to Basel in 1528, but his English experience had opened a new chapter in his artistic journey.
Wednesday, 13th August 2025
Lecture 3: Faith and Reform
Back in Basel, Holbein returned to a city transformed by the Reformation. Patronage had become precarious, and traditional religious commissions were vanishing. In this lecture, we explore how Holbein navigated this turbulent period through private portraits, reformist book designs, and religious works that subtly reflect the theological tensions of the time. His visual language became more restrained, often symbolically rich and charged with ambiguity. Despite the challenges, this phase reveals an artist grappling with the moral and cultural upheavals of his age—foreshadowing the more politically complex environment he would re-enter at the English court.
Thursday, 14th August 2025
Lecture 4: The Queen’s Artist
This lecture explores Hans Holbein the Younger’s second arrival in England and his remarkable ascent within Henry VIII’s court. Focusing on the years 1532 to 1537, it traces Holbein’s alignment with the reformist faction and his close association with Anne Boleyn, for whom he created coronation designs, jewellery, and what is now considered the most credible surviving likeness. The lecture examines how Holbein’s work helped craft the visual mythology of Anne’s queenship, while also analysing major pieces such as The Ambassadors and his portraits of Thomas Cromwell and Jane Seymour. It concludes with Holbein’s iconic image of Henry VIII in the lost Whitehall mural—a turning point in royal image-making.
Friday, 15th August 2025
Lecture 5: Faces of Power
This lecture continues the story of Holbein at the Tudor court, covering the years 1537 to 1541—a period when his portraiture became inseparable from political strategy. At the heart of the talk is his painting of Anne of Cleves, commissioned for marriage negotiations and taken directly from life—an image that, far from flattering, seems to have captured her with diplomatic honesty. The lecture also considers a possible miniature of Katherine Howard, as well as Holbein’s broader output in this period, including portraits of key courtiers and diplomats. It reflects on Holbein’s legacy as a painter whose skill shaped not only likenesses but the course of Tudor alliances and reputations.
Saturday, 16th August 2025
Lecture 6: The Art of Memory
In his final years, Holbein remained a vital presence at court, painting merchants, ambassadors, and royals during a period of political upheaval. This lecture considers his later portraits and lost works—such as the murals for Whitehall Palace—while reflecting on his sudden death in 1543, likely due to plague. We explore the afterlife of his art: how his images shaped collective memory of the Tudor era and influenced generations of artists. Holbein’s legacy lies not only in his extraordinary technique but in his ability to capture power, personality, and the human condition with enduring psychological depth.
Sunday, 17th August 2025
Join Dr Owen Emmerson for a live Zoom Q&A.
Two Zoom sessions will be held to ensure that all participants have an opportunity to attend this live component:
Session 1: Sunday, 17th August 2025 at 09:00hrs BST
Session 2: Sunday,17th August 2025at 21:00hrs BST
Questions can be submitted in advance or asked during the session. Attendees will receive a recording of these live Zoom sessions.
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Course Contributor
Dr Owen Emmerson
Dr Owen Emmerson is a social and cultural historian, author, and consultant. He is part of the curatorial team at Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. In 2024, he worked as one of the historical consultants for the BBC adaptation of Dame Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light. Emmerson was part of the research teams that identified the Book of Hours captured in Hans Holbein the Younger’s portrait of Thomas Cromwell in 2023 and a miniature portrait of Queen Mary I as Princess by Suzannah Horenbout in 2024. He is the co-author of five books and has contributed to numerous television documentaries, such as The Boleyns: A Scandalous Family (2021, BBC2) and Holbein’s The Ambassadors (2025, Arte). His latest book is entitled Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn and will be published in February 2026.
Dr Owen Emmerson 