Definition of The Ambassadors (Painting)

Is painting It is dated 1533 and was painted by the Dutchman Hans Holbein (1497-1543), known by his nickname "the young man." At present the work is exhibited at the National Gallery in London.

Main features

It was made when the author was residing in England. At this stage he met the characters in his work, two French ambassadors. Both are portrayed life-size and located at the two ends of a table on which a cloth from the East is spread.

On the table are a series of carefully chosen objects: astronomical instruments, a terrestrial globe, a solar quadrant and a book.

Under the table are other objects: a square, a globe, a compass, two books and a lute. In the left corner there is a strange object floating above the ground, apparently a bone or a seashell. Behind the characters hangs a silk curtain as a backdrop. On the other hand, in the painting there is a marble floor and a series of mosaics that belong to Westminster Abbey.

In the composition there is a Balance

of lines, as well as vertical and horizontal structures, circular shapes and diagonal lines. This painting stands out for its realism and luxurious display.

The figures humans and objects are highlighted by the effect of soft light. The sense of depth is achieved by the pavement and by the green color of the curtain.

The symbolism of the Ambassadors

The elements of this painting have an obvious value symbolic. The characters represent the power of the nobility. The upper part refers to the celestial world and objects related to the astronomy they convey a message: human knowledge was in a process of reinterpreting the celestial orbits. The objects that appear at the bottom of the table symbolize the terrestrial world (books are open and in them you can see references to the trivium and the quadrivium of the studies medieval). The symbolic presence of the celestial and terrestrial world has a relationship with the revolution Copernican which began in the 15th century.

The mystery of the strange object is finally revealed

When an observer looks at a certain distance this work, cannot identify what exactly is the object that appears floating at the bottom of the work. However, as the observer gets closer it is already possible to clearly perceive the foreign object. What looked like a bone or a shell is actually a human skull.

The novel perception de la calavera is not accidental, but rather the painter deliberately distorts the image. This pictorial technique is known as anamorphosis. With it, the observer is forced to change his initial assessment of the work.

Themes in The Ambassadors (Painting)