A Scholar Treads on a Market Woman's Basket of Eggs, marginal drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger, December 1515

A scholar treads on a market woman's basket of eggs, pen and ink marginal drawing in a copy of the praise of folly by desiderius erasmus. This is the third of 82 marginal drawings that include the first works of holbein to survive intact. He and his brother, ambrosius, drew them in the copy of the praise of folly owned by classical scholar oswald myconius, who planned to show the result to the author, his friend erasmus. Most of the sketches, including this one, are by hans holbein, whose style and left-handed hatching identify him from ambrosius. Here a scholar turns to look at a young woman and in so doing steps on a market woman's basket of eggs. References buck, stephanie, hans holbein, cologne: könemann, 1999, isbn 3829025831, p. 10. Müller, christian; stephan kemperdick; maryan ainsworth; et al, hans holbein the younger: the basel years, 1515–1532, munich: prestel, 2006, isbn 9783791335803, pp. 146–57. Date: December 1515.