Marginal Drawings for The Praise of Folly (1), by Hans Holbein the Younger, 1515

Three marginal drawings in a copy of "the praise of folly" by erasmus of rotterdam. Pen and black ink oxidised to brown, subsequent additions in red, kunstmuseum basel. Folly in the pulpit (no. 1) a scholar treads on a market woman's basket of eggs (no. 3) sertorius and the example of the horses (no. 15) hans holbein and his brother, ambrosius, drew 82 marginal sketches 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 desiderius erasmus. They include the first works by hans holbein to survive intact. Most of the sketches are by hans holbein, whose style and left-handed hatching identify him from ambrosius. 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: 1515.