The Ambassadors by Holbein
“The Ambassadors (1533)” is a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger. This painting contains a still life of several meticulously described objects. Holbein has displayed the influence of Early Netherlands painters in this painting. This influence has mostly used of oil paint, which for panel paintings had been developed a century before in Early Netherlands painting.
The clue among the figures has shown reflection of what was happening during the Renaissance. The scientific instruments including terrestrial globe, celestial globe, and a polyhedral sundial have reflected circumstances during the Renaissance. Carpet on the upper shelf including various textiles were seems an example of oriental carpets in Renaissance. The inclusion of two figures can be seen as symbolic. The figure on the left side is in a secular appearance, and the figure on the right side is dressed on clerical clothes. They were standing sides of the table which was displays with open books that can lead to symbols of religious knowledge. Therefore they have believed by some critics to be symbolic of a unification of capitalism and the church.
