William Roper (1493/94–1578)

The portrait of William Roper was executed by Hans Holbein the Younger in 1535 as a gouache painting on vellum. It belongs to the portrait genre and was created in the early sixteenth century, reflecting Holbein’s mature style.

The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view in New York. Its presence in the museum was highlighted during the exhibition The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England, which traced the visual culture of the period. The painting’s material, technique, and subject identify it as a seminal example of Holbein’s portraiture.

The portrait of William Roper by Hans Holbein the Younger is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work, created in 1535 on vellum with gouache paint, has been featured in the exhibition titled "The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England."

This portrait, created in 1535 by the German-Swiss artist Hans Holbein the Younger, depicts William Roper. Executed in gouache, a distinctive opaque paint, the work exemplifies Holbein's skill within the portrait genre. It is now housed in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, representing a significant example of 16th-century Northern Renaissance artistry.

Hans Holbein the Younger established himself as a preeminent portraitist of the 16th century, working in the Northern Renaissance tradition. While renowned for such likenesses, his artistic output also encompassed religious subjects, satirical works, and innovative book designs. This diverse practice distinguished him from his father, Hans Holbein the Elder, whose artistic roots lay in the earlier Late Gothic school.