“The Ambassadors” by Holbein as a Clear Reflection of the Renaissance Society and Thinking

Introduction
I shall be discussing the importance of “The Ambassadors” as an historical piece, pointing out the reasons and having a detailed approach to the meanings behind the art work. I shall also be talking about the Age of Discoveries and the society back in the time the painting was done. For that I will use the internet, and two books: “Inferno” by Alighieri and “Os Lusíadas” by Luís de Camões.

Analysis
The painting is Hans Holbein’s authorship. He painted it in 1533 and it’s an oil on oak. The dimensions of it are 207 cm × 209.5 cm and it is currently displayed in the National Gallery, in Trafalgar Square, London. We may observe the clear influences of the typical Netherlands’ style for instead of the actual transcription of what he is seeing, the painter paints objects with their own meaning, as symbols. Now, this is when the controversy starts, for we know what the symbols are but some have more than one meaning, as if they were representing two or more different/opposite things. For starters, let’s begin with the facts.

There are two globes (one terrestrial and one celestial), a quadrant, a torquetum, a polyhedral sundial and some textiles: the floor mosaic, and an oriental carpet on the upper shelf. There are two gentlemen standing and the way they are flanking the table enables us to see the books, musical and navigation instruments. The men are clearly not commoners, for their closes are very pompous, but let’s describe the instruments first.

In 1533 Vasco Da Gama had already found the sea way to India and Brazil had also been discovered. The link between Europe and the Orient becomes very strong at this point, and the same with the exploitation of African and South American colonies. For that reason, the navigation instruments were the top of technology at that time, as we can see some examples on the top shelf.

“Dou-vos tambem aquele ilustre Gama,
Que para si de Eneias toma a fama.”

“I shall also give you the wonderful Gama,
Whom Aeneas would like to have his fame.”

Luís de Camões (1974) Os Lusíadas, edited by Porto Editora, Porto/Lisboa.

This Age of Discovery was a big step towards Globalization. On the bottom shelf we can see two books and some musical instruments. Music represents culture and the origins. It also means entertainment and the exploration of the body, contrasting to the exploration of the world (going back to the Age of Discovery). Opposing that sinful interpretation on the musical instrument, we have an open church music book, too, showing the devotion to God despite the technology and all the power and highlighting the Renaissance gives to Mankind. The other book is a symbol of knowledge.

The two gentlemen are dressed quite differently. The one by the left hand side is dressed up as a noble, with some very posh clothes and a golden medallion around his neck. The other one is dressed as a cleric, a priest. These are the two engines of The Age of Discovery: the nobles as the people who planned the journeys and developed science through studies; and the Church by financially supporting the nobles as they took the chance to join them in order to spread the word of God.

As demystifying the truths the Church have spread over the Middle Ages, the rebirth of the Classics was a great deal for learned men, putting them in touch with philosophy and the relationship between men and death.

“O poeta guardou um pouco e depois disse: Ja que ele se cala, nao percas a ocasiao e fala tu; pergunta-lhe o que bem te aprouver.”

“The poet after a while said: Now that he is quiet, don’t waste this opportunity and speak yourself; ask him whatever you would like to know.”

Dante Alighieri (2007), A Divina Comedia, Edited by Publicacoes Europa-America, Lda, Mem Martins.

Death was always a mystery to men, as well as it still is for us today. In the bottom middle we may observe a skull painted in anamorphic perspective, which Holbein deliberately wanted it to be riddle. Now, if we pay close attention to meaning of the symbols we might conclude that there is heaven on the top shelf, the Earth (land of the living) on the bottom shelf and bellow it, we have Death, making the three worlds a Man can live.

There are obviously more interpretations of the symbols as we can find “The Ambassadors' Secret: Holbein and the World of the Renaissance” for sale online for on this website: http://www.reddotbooks.co.uk/ambassadors-secret-holbein-world-renaissance-p-2436.html

Conclusion
Despite the various possible interpretations, this brilliant painting sums up the Renaissance with the aim of showing off the top technology of the time as Mankind was developing very quickly in the fields of science, but also reflecting on the strong conscience of Christian Religion’s points of view on life and the contribution of the Church to Science. Personally it’s interesting to observe the relationship between Science and Church, today so separate, but back then so strongly linked in a co-operational way. The Middle Ages’ mentality is still very rooted, but men are taking the chance to start exploring the World, for there is pride in being in this picture accordingly to the gentlemen’s posture. It is also believed that the man on the right hand side is Georges de Selve, Bishop of Lavaur and the man on the left hand side to be Jean de Dinteville, Seigneur of Polisy, French ambassador to the court of Henry VIII for most of 1533.