Hans Holbein the Younger painted a portrait of Charles De Solier, Sieur De Morette in 1534-1535. Morette was a French statesman and diplomat who served as ambassador to England several times. The painting is known for its extraordinary detail and is often cited as one of the great portraits in art history.
Holbein’s influence on the face of northern Renaissance is evident in his portraits of both middle-class and noble contemporaries. His attention to detail, even down to the individual hairs on their faces, set him apart from other artists of his time. The portrait of Morette displays this remarkable attention to detail; every fold in his clothing, every strand of hair on his head, and every wrinkle on his hands are meticulously rendered.
The painting can be found in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden. This gallery houses many works from some of Europe’s greatest painters such as Raphael and Rembrandt. Holbein himself spent much of his life traveling between Germany, England, France and Switzerland where he painted images such as “The Body of Christ”, “Jean de Dinteville”, “George Gisze” among others which provide insight into the lives people led during these turbulent times.
