Portrait of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger

ca. 1540-1542

Hans Holbein the Younger

The German artist Hans Holbein the Younger became the portrait painter to the court of Henry VIII and high society in London. This work represents a daring balance between classical idealism and the naturalism of the period. Timeless in its exclusive focus, the profile of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger, an English noble beheaded for treason at the age of 33, recalls an ancient bust or medallion. Simplicity of composition is combined with the precision of detail and sophistication of the rendering that were characteristic of the northern schools.