HANS or JOHN, the greatest of the old German masters after Albert Dürer, is generally described as a native of Basle. The fact, however, is that neither the place nor the date of his birth is known with certainty. The people of Augsburg claim him as their townsman, as do also, and on better grounds, those of Grünstadt. The common accounts assign his birth to the year 1498; recent researches place it three years earlier. His father was an artist of some note, but his fame was soon lost in that of his son. While studying at Basle, Holbein made acquaintance with Erasmus, of whom he painted many portraits, and who often seriously warned him against the consequences of his fondness for drinking and low company. By the advice of this monitor he removed to England, where his introduction to Sir Thomas More opened up to him the path of wealth and fame. For three years this generous patron entertained him in his house, and at the end of that period introduced him to the king, Henry VIII., who took the Holberg artist into his service, and made it a fashion among his courtiers and great nobles to have their portraits taken by his hand. The demands on Holbein's time were soon so great that he had to abandon altogether the higher branches of his art, for which he had discovered a decided genius before leaving Switzerland. His historical pieces are consequently very few in number, but his portraits bear so decidedly the imprint of genius that his name still ranks high among the best portrait-painters of the world. Holbein died at London of the plague in 1554.

Holbein was one of the few artists on record who used his left hand in painting. His extensive practice enabled him to excel pre-eminently in portraits; but he painted with equal ease in fresco, water-colours, and miniature; and his boundless fancy showed itself in the countless designs which he drew for statuaries, engravers, and goldsmiths. It is not fair to judge of Holbein's merits by the pieces which pass in thousands under his name in England. His masterpieces, which are chiefly confined to that country, are known to have been multiplied in copies of every degree of merit, and these copies are frequently palmed off on the picture-fancier as originals. A genuine Holbein ought to be characterized by a very bold relief, the most exquisite finish, the highest clearness and delicacy of tone, and a remarkable force of conception. A selection of his portraits, to the number of 84, was engraved and published by Bartolozzi, in London, 1792-1800, with biographical notes by John Chamberlain. The well-known work entitled the Dance of Death, which passes under Holbein's name, is not his at all, though it is true that he drew a series of designs on this subject, which are now in St Petersburg.