Hans Holbein the Younger was one of the greatest artists of the Northern European Renaissance.

In fact, he was one of the greatest artists of all time.

German by birth he moved via Basel, Paris and Antwerp to the Court of Henry VIII,

and it is because of him that we can imagine the king, his wives and his world.

Holbein was the greatest of portrait artists, but he was also a master designer of woodcuts,

of ceiling and wall paintings, wall hangings, goldsmiths works, he could work at any scale and in any medium.

From miniatures to the large, mysterious and virtuoso double portrait, the Ambassadors.

Holbein's mastery was in creating a vision that could be believed.

His exceptional talent was creating such realistic portraits that they almost seemed to be alive.

Holbein knew this, his portrait of merchant Dittris von von VIII,

is inscribed, ad but the voice, and you might wonder if his father or his painter created this.

This justified boasting is, however, one of only a few lines of Holbein's written voice that we have.

Today, in the first of a two-part podcast special on Holbein, we explore what we know about one of history's most private of geniuses.

Joining me to discuss Holbein is a panel of experts.

Dr Susan Feister is the doyen of Holbein Studies.

She is Deputy Director and Director of Collections at the National Gallery in London,

where Holbein's Ambassadors hangs, and she is the author of several books on Holbein, including Holbein and England.

She is joined by two scholars who have produced books on Holbein in the last year or so.

Dr Jean Niktaline is reader in the history of art at the University of York,

and the author of the 2020 book, Hans Holbein, the artist in a changing world.

And Franny Moil is the author of the King's Painter, the Life and Times of Hans Holbein,

which was just published this year.

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