The Ambassadors Painting Rug

Jean de dinteville and georges de selve 1533 also known as the ambassadors has been heavily scrutinized by centuries of historians the double portrait proudly displayed at london s national gallery remains a fascinating enigma within which every detail seems to suggest multiple meanings.

The ambassadors painting rug.

Holbein rugs don t just appear in holbeins. As well as being a portrait the ambassadors is also a still life painting featuring numerous meticulously rendered objects. Detail of the holbein rug in the ambassadors painting by hans holbein the younger. The ambassadors 1533 is a painting by hans holbein the younger also known as jean de dinteville and georges de selve it was created in the tudor period in the same year elizabeth i was born.

Holbein carpets are a type of carpet taking their name from hans holbein the younger due to their depiction in european renaissance paintings although they are shown in paintings from many decades earlier than holbein the art historian kurt erdmann has sub divided the holbein design into four types of which holbein actually only painted two. Large pattern square star filled fields plus small squares and gul octagonal medallions plus ornaments of unequal scale identify a type 4 holbein rug. As well as being a double portrait the painting contains a still life of several meticulously rendered objects the meaning of which is the cause of much debate. It s not the same rug as the one in the ambassadors portrait but it s clearly in the same style.

6 north also writes that the symbols s and e. Of course many sixteenth century portraits of learned men contain objects that reflect their occupations and interests but holbein s picture is particularly impressive owing to its extraordinary attention to detail and the sheer amount of information it contains. The ambassadors by hans holbein the younger 1497 1543 in the national gallery liverpool it is not possible to review fully the many conjectures which have been made concerning this celebrated painting the identities of the ambassadors the meanings of the various objects which are displayed or the explanation for the curious fish like object seen on the floor which was discovered to be. John north writes of how the turkey rug on which the celestial instruments are placed was chosen for its geometrical pattern which supported the geometrical scheme underlying the painting as a whole and that the one shown in the painting was from a christian religious tradition that also had a cosmic component.

In hans holbein s famously inexplicable painting the ambassadors a large anamorphic skull appears to lie across the floor at the feet of two dandified renaissance gentlemen. The first thing to do is find the right kind of rug. There s a great example in andrea del verrocchio s madonna with john the baptist and donatus c. The ambassadors painting by hans holbein the younger.

The skull appears in correct perspective only when the painting is seen from an acute angle looking diagonally down from the left hand side of the painting or. A full tutorial on how to make this greek key rug plus a printable worksheet is coming up soon. You want to use a rug with a low nap or a flat woven rug work best.