Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger

The famous scholar and theologian Desiderius Erasmus (1466/1469–1536) required a large number of portraits of himself to send to his correspondents and admirers throughout Europe. Hans Holbein the Younger painted him several times in Basel, and Holbein's portraits were then often copied. It is not always clear which versions were by Holbein himself, which by his workshop, and which by independent copyists. This version of the type with the closed book has a church background probably added in about 1629 by Hendrik van Steenwijk II. background added c. 1629