It's astonishing that such a fine and engaging art history class is free and available to us at any time. We live in an amazing time.

This is a very privilege.I am sitting at home learning about History of Art.And without having to attend classes.

My late brother was a fine artist with works in galleries, homes, and businesses from Taiwan to Paris. One of my fondest memories is of him and I having coffee on the patio while he explained art - the materials, techniques, and symbology. Because of him I’ve come to love artists like Holbein, Caravaggio, Hopper…This channel ‘teaches’ art history like my brother did, so thank you from my heart. 💖🌹

Holbein captured the soul of the subject he painted. Now THAT is an art. Truly magnificent.

Normally, I've commented with "Brilliant", but this episode deserves and entirely other accolade, "Spectacular"! Thank you Waldemar J.

Waldemar Januszczak is like the David Attenborough of art, I can't get enough of these documentaries.

I know this video is a couple of years old now, but I wanted to say thank you for such an engaging and thoughtful presentation on an artist I really enjoy. Your video has helped me introduce my 6 year old son to Holbein and now he wants to visit the museum to see the pictures in person. I have promised him to make that happen. Thank you!!

I have always loved Holbein's art. He brings his sitters to life. His attention to detail is breathtaking and in my opinion was the greatest portrait painter of all time. This was a great documentary. Thanks for posting.

The drawings he made as preparation for future portraits are as fresh as if he had made them this morning.

This was absolutely brilliant. I just love the enthusiasm of the narrator. Holbein was so amazing but he must have been living on a knifes edge. What fearful times they were.

When you encounter a Holbein portrait face to face you are overwhelmed by its power and realism. That is the magic of great art. By comparison, what you often find in many museums is merely second rate.

I do wish we had a Holbein portrait of Anne Boleyn.

This guy knows what he's talking about, and knows how to share it in a way that makes it interesting to the one listening.

Holbein is so greatly underrated, probably because he’s not one of the Italians, but I think he’s the greatest portraitist, ever. The way he can capture the essence of a person in a just a few lines in his sketches is just amazing and his paintings glow with life. His portraits are so realistic and compelling, I don’t think Leonardo can hold a candle to him.

The fact that he could paint that skull you only can see from the side makes him pretty awesomely talented.

Thank you for bring Waldemar Januszak's documentary on Holbein's portraits to us...such a delight to have such an enthusiastic narrator to guide us to some of the hidden aspects that captured the personalities of each sitter.

Hans Holbein was an extraordinary painter. Especially the portrait of Sir Thomas Moore was as detailed and realistic as a photo. Very impressive!

Artist to artist, painter to painter, Holbein ranks among the very greatest. Hats off in salute to Herr Holbein.

Thank you Waldemar J, for this compelling explanation of Holbein’s symbolism in his masterpieces. I couldn’t stop watching!

I was an art history major & Holbein & Jan Van Eyck were always my favorites. And Jan Vermeer. The Flemish. Holbein’s sketches are nothing short of stupefyingly beautiful. Such a gift he was given!

The portrait of Thomas Moore is downright fantastic! Holbein has to be the greatest portrait painter ever!

Loved this! As a foreign national living in UK , I've learned so much in less than an hour and this was delivered in such an interesting and engaging way. Thank you. 🙂

This documentary is nothing short of spectacular. To have art and history combined in such an engaging way is seldom found. I loved every minute. Thank you so much!

Poor Holbein, what a crazy time to live in. Your every move calculated to not get your head chopped off. He really did bring that era to life under an immense amount of stress.

The host’s passion is contagious. He is great!

I can vouch for the sentiment regarding the portrait of More at the Frick. When I was there, up close, for a moment it really seemed like he was about to turn around and look at me, it's so amazingly lifelike.

We recently watched Wolf Hall and one of the scenes that stood out was of Holbein painting the famous Thomas Cromwell portrait. This was a fantastic documentary - thank you

I never saw the painter when i looked at the paintings of Henry etc. What an incredible man he was. What an incredible talent.

His portraits are like photographs. What a treasure to see what these people really looked like.

The narrator is great.... he conveys not just knowledge but also enthusiasm. And I like the bits of Renaissance Tudor era sounding music.

What an extraordinary artist Hans Holbein was. I didn't even know of his existence before I watched this video. His paintings of Cromwell and Sir Thomas More were incredible, down to the very stubble on his face, and so very lifelike, that as the presenter said, 'you could feel their breath.' I would love to go and see his paintings and especially the long narrow painting of the crucified Christ! That was so deeply moving. It really made me think and I suddenly felt like I had been physically there when The Saviour Jesus Christ was being buried after he'd died on the cross. What an incredible gift, why isn't his name lauded alongside that of Leonardo Da Vinci. He was certainly just as skilled! It's such a shame that some of his works were destroyed!

This was immensely enjoyable and I got quite emotional with your closing statement on his artwork. There is nothing more enjoyable than the unspoken conversations that creators such artists, composers and authors initiate through their work that travel through time and centuries to talk specifically to us and to teach us about their stories , beliefs , experiences and emotions. Thank you so much for this video, I am quite moved ❤❤❤

I would like to add that his interpretation concerning The Ambassadors as a vanitas painting is deep and insightful. He is very clever and able to arouse a passion for art.

Saw another documentary by Waldemar Januszczak on early Christian art which blew my mind. He is an outstanding teacher. I want to watch everything he's done.

That was a fantastic documentary. I am presently reading David Hockney's theory that Holbein among others achieved his amazing accuracy of realism and his great speed by using the Camera Lucida. There is something uncanny about the superb perspectives and foreshortenings of rounded objects like limbs and musical instruments and curved naturally flat objects like paper and clothes in Holbein's paintings that DH believes impossible for a mere human to achieve with just eyes and hands. DH contends that Holbein used optical tools to aid his drafting and compositions. This is born out by there being more than one perspective in some of Holbein's paintings where he would have moved the Camera Lucida and unknowingly introduced another viewpoint for certain objects making them appear tipped in comparison to the surface supporting them. Please don't attack me personally, it is not my opinion or discovery although I agree with it. Read DHs book to understand his theory fully. It can be found as a free PDF with a little searching if you don't want to pay for the hard copy. I have bought a Camera Lucida, it was delivered today, and I shall do some experiments of my own with it. A fascinating subject.

All we've had regarding Anne of Cleves' looks is based on Henry VIII's own words and Holbein's portrait. I don't think that Holbein "mispainted" her; otherwise, Henry would have taken his wrath out on Holbein and would not have turned to him for subsequent work. I tend to agree with another theory, which is that what Henry actually objected was her personality.

I love his sketches of the court. They look like people you would meet today.

This was so wonderful. Thank you! I found it fascinating how the triptych alterpiece painted by Hans the Elder shows the father with his hand on Hans the Younger's head and his other hand is pointing to Hans the Younger. His father must have realized very early on that his younger son had an extraordinary gift.

That story was utterly fascinating. As always, the script, the shooting, the editing and the opportunities to see these works in their museum settings on a real trip there with the host! Wow, just wow!

Amazing detail, fabrics folds, wrinkles with reflected light and shadow, talent..

holbein was a fantastic painter, but his drawings are stellar.

His portraits also capture his veiled interpretation of their inner characters that he expressed in such subtle ways... If you study them greatly , you will start to feel the " vibe " and his own feelings for his subjects that are brilliantly hidden under the guise of propriety and duty for his service he had to uphold on a major degree. However his honesty shines with a tinge of insight..

He seemed to capture their emotion and show us who he thought they were. In a time when they couldn't speak freely, he spoke through his art using symbolism (genius).

Only recently got into this kind of subject and I am truly amazed at how a historian can bring, in such vivid detail, life, politics and imagery from 500 years ago. I recently watched Simon Schama's history of britain and I actually cried at the episode with Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. This documentary was truly exceptional. Bravo!

Accidentally I found this documentary and because my interest for history I decided to watch it! Thank you for uploading this wonderful presentation of Holbein ́s Art. He was a great artist. His pictures seemed to be better than today's photos. I didn 't know much of his life, I only knew that he suddenly died of plague while he was painting a picture for the King. The host is a marvellous story-teller and he reminds me of David Starkey who has the same style talking about history!

9:06 on the one hand, the young man distracted by a fashionable beauty and stepping into a basket of a poor market peddler's eggs is directly comical on the face of it, like a stunt from the Three Stooges. But it's so worth knowing that in the rich visual symbolism of the Northern Renaissance, accidentally broken eggs often represent unchaste behavior and especially an inappropriate loss of virginity.

Januszczak keeps you engaged with his wonderful presentation. This was brilliant and fascinating.

Holbein is the only artist that , I feel, gives us a truly accurate portraits. I think other painters went with capturing the looks that were fashionable at the time

I love the way Waldemar always sets you up. “ If you thought you knew... well I’m here to tell you that you were wrong!”

A superb documentary. I thought I knew Holbein's work fairly well, and am familiar with Tudor history too, but found lots of fascinating insights here. The critique of 'The Ambassadors' is art criticism as its best.

this is not what I usually watch on youtube , I loved this !

The bit about the broken string, the book of hymns, and the skull was fascinating. Thank you!

"Welcome to the Hans Holbein dating agency" Too funny!

I'm so in love with Holbein. That first portrait of Henry VIII shows the street thug he really was. Later, he became THE KING. Because of Holbein. Thank you for this!

Fascinating. I’ve always loved art history and the Tudor period. Great in-depth look into Holbein.

Thank you for such a thorough and entertaining lesson on Holbein. He has long been one of my Top 10 favorite artists of all time. His drawings and paintings are just exquisite. And now I also know he led an equally fascinating life, albeit a far too short life. I am grateful for this history of this talented painter.

A Genious. He was lucky that he survived at court :) Especially when Anna von Kleve (born in Düsseldorf) was not the One, the King hoped for. But Holbein painted her so beautiful. Tough times.

33:00 That Cromwell portrait is the definition of shifty-eyed. Holbein might as well have written "Don't Trust This Guy" on the painting.

I’ve never seen any of these pieces of art in person. I had no idea - especially the portrait of Thomas Moore - was so astoundingly detailed! It blows my mind, it’s gorgeous!

This is absolutely magnificent -- I do not remember the last time I have been so entertained on KZfaq. Bravo!

WOW! I never thought, Henry 8th looked like that i "real life". Holbein was a snapshot photogapher! His portraits are unbelievable! His precision is impeccable

What a joy it is to accompany Januszczak on his eccentric, illuminating and wonderfully entertaining journeys through the history of art. One learns so much, without having to endure dull, dry lectures: He has such an original imagination and vivid, lively means of expression, based on profound scholarship. Our attention is held, spellbound, throughout. Bravo! Encore!

These original BBC documentaries are for me wonderful. I know I am spoilt as I watch them first on the Beeb but so brilliant to see them on this site. Well done I can now watch them as often as I like. Many thanks to all involved.

What a tragic loss when this genius died so young. He captivated me as a kid and does 50 years later.

This gentleman is brilliant. Clear, fun and educational for all ages.

I could watch these episodes all day!!! WONDERFUL!!!!!! Thank you Waldemar!

Thank you for bringing Holbein to life in a creatively new--and most "spiffing"--way!

Excellent documentary and I certainly have an even greater appreciation of Holbein's artistic skills.. I lived In Reigate for many years and my children attended the Reigate Priory School which has an amazing Holbein Fireplace. The children who have attended that school and those who have worked there over many years are certainly blessed to experience such a beautiful piece of art on a daily basis.

The narrator is a real artist. He painted a picture of Holbein using words, his body movement, setting that captivated me both visually and mentally!

Absolutely BRILLIANT! An art lesson delivered with so much wit is not only informative but also highly entertaining!

I still think of Waldemar as "Waldemar Thing" as Private Eye used to call him. His talks on Art - especially Art history are always fascinating and well-informed. His explanation of the Arnolfini painting re-opened my eyes to a work I thought I already knew well.

Waldemar Januszcak, the Moderator of the Tudor portraits, does an excellent job of presenting the program. Finally an English producer who can speak the English language so Americans can understand the the words.👏👏

A trinity of informatives that keeps the listener spellbound. Plus, I love Waldemar's ability to connect what at first appears "mysterious" about paintings and painters.

Highest quality talk revealing unforgettable sights and details on Holbein: his art and influence on how we see Henry VIII, Cromwell, Moore etc

This documentary is an absolute Masterpiece!

Beautiful video; thank you! I was fortunate enough to see a wonderful Holbein exhibition at the Tate, about 20 years ago, that had some superb portraits. It was a collection of works not often on public view, and really showed the width and depth of his genius.

Fantastic documentary from Waldemar Januszczak. He is such an engaging presenter. Thank you for sharing this, I really enjoyed it.

Incredible artist! Thank G-d for artists like this. We learn so much about history with these works of art. I am truly grateful for these artists. Thank you for this!

To think that Holbein perfected his craft and was sought after by the King of England all before the age of 45 is astonishing.

I took a minor in art history, but this is on another level of lecturing. Enjoyed it tremendously. I'm a huge fan of Waldemar now.

Holbein's portrait of Thomas More looks like a photograph. The most realistic of all his portraits.

Waldemar is more than a teacher, he is a fantastic entertainer, and sometimes he fudges brilliantly. That is what art is meant to do.

These are the kinds of paintings I just wanna spend a day with and look at every inch, truly spectacular!

I’ve seen the Thomas More portrait dozens of times at the Frick, including now in the Breuer building, plus other royal portraits from the two years I lived in London. But this really helps put them all in historical context and that of his own career. Thanks for posting these here where a global audience can learn from them.

Did you mention that Erasmus wrote In Praise of Folly while he was a guest of Thomas Moore's in London? After a spirited spoken exchange on the topic, Moore urged Erasmus to put it all in writing. No wonder Holbein felt really close to Moore.

How strange that as history goes on "we're encouraged to think better" of some real monsters. However this is an extraordinarily amazing documentary. Tryly a masterpiece.

Januszczak's art documentaries are briliant. He weaves the history, personal stories and the technical art information into stories that are educational, humorous and illuminating.

I can watch this guy over and over. And I do.

Thank you, Perspective. This was a wonderful, insightful and enjoyable presentation. 💕

Hans Holbein the Younger, one of the greatest painters in a fascinating lecture that reveals a lot more than just showing his best pictures. Thorougly enjoyed it thanks to Waldemar Januszczak's presentation. 🙏👋

Holbein sketches were on exhibit at the NYC JP Morgan Library back in 1983. His astonishingly lifelike drawings took my breath away. Unfortunately, there were no paintings included in the collection. Those came in a more recent exhibit last year 2022. Thank you for this master class video. I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone else equal his great talent. Tudor England of Henry VIII was a harsh time, but Holbein left us a remarkable visual record.

I’ve seen More’s portrait at the Frick and words are not adequate. It’s heart stoppingly magnificent, like you are actually looking through a window to 400+ years ago, and More is about to turn to you and start talking.

Amazing, I love that painting with the glass reflection, so much detail in the little things. Really gobsmackingly good. BTW Anne Boleyn wasn't accused of Witchcraft in her trial.

I emrolled and started classes in college here in the US. Back then no one knew about dyslexia. I flicked out way before mid terms. This amazing gentleman has taught me more on his videos than I could have possibly learn back then. Plus, I am pretty in love with him. Annie

This is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen. Thank you.

Thank you very much! I've always admired Holbein and am very pleased to know much more about him, now.

I love Tudor history and Mr. Januszczak gives a lively, funny and much more psychological accuracy than many books I've read. I love his Mao Zedong comment. In fact, a bunch of his comments. "Don't worry, we know exactly what she looks like."

Our entire household loves Waldemar Januszczak. He is a wonderful, wonderful teacher. We've seen every one of his "Perspective" pieces and we wish there were many more! Thank you.

Beautiful portraits. How wonderful the way he paints velvet.

Absolutely fascinating ! The looks on the faces of his wives, shows a lot more than we think ! Thank you for this revelation !