Hans Holbein the Younger executed this painting during his career in England as a portrait painter, where he enjoyed great success due to his talent at giving likenesses and his accurate portrayal of even the less flattering details. Holbein also created popular paintings of Henry VIII, Erasmus, and Thomas More.Holbein documents Tudor dress and custom well. Here, his accuracy is almost Dutch: he litters the portrait with little objects and dozens of details of this merchant's life. A scale hangs, lopsided, in the upper left corner; a glass vase of carnations stands in the foreground; an elegantly-bound book leans against the wall at right; papers and other baubles hang in the background; and a tin of coins sits open on the desk.
Most remarkable, however, is Holbein’s study of color and light to make his textures look real: the merchant’s sleeves look satin. The wood looks matte and painted, slightly old. As much as art critics rave over modern techniques and attention, Holbein’s work represents the acme of painting as a science of representation.
