Portrait of Nicholas Kratzer
Louvre, Paris
This portrait shows Nicholas Kratzer, the German-born astronomer who served as royal astronomer to Henry VIII, surrounded by the instruments of his profession and painted around 1528, the same year Holbein painted the Godsalve family portraits[1]. Kratzer and Holbein's friendship dated from around 1519, and the two men collaborated repeatedly on both scientific and decorative commissions at the English court over the following two decades[2]. Their best documented joint project came in spring 1527, when Holbein spent several weeks executing a ceiling painting for a temporary theatre at Greenwich Palace, a map of the world combined with the heavens, made for a state visit by a French embassy that Henry VIII entertained there in May of that year[1]. The two men also worked together on the Canones Horoptri, a small green velvet-bound manuscript Kratzer composed as a New Year's gift for Henry VIII in 1529, explaining the use of an astronomical instrument called the horoptrum for finding the times of sunrise and sunset; Holbein supplied its illuminated title-page lettering, the only surviving example of manuscript illumination known to be by his hand[1]. A third documented collaboration came later still, in 1543, when Kratzer supplied technical annotations for Holbein's design of an elaborate clocksalt Henry VIII received as a New Year's gift[1]. Holbein's portrait of Kratzer follows the same tradition of scholar portraiture he had already used for Erasmus, surrounding the sitter with the tools of his intellectual trade rendered with the same bravura still-life detail Holbein brought to his other portraits of learned men.
Where it is held
Held at Louvre, Paris, France.
Held at the Louvre in Paris.
A friendship that outlasted several royal projects
Kratzer and Holbein's connection went back to around 1519, well before Holbein's first extended stay in England, and it developed into a working partnership documented across at least three separate royal commissions over the following two decades[1]. Kratzer held the position of royal astronomer to Henry VIII, giving him a standing role at court that let him bring Holbein directly into projects requiring both artistic skill and technical scientific knowledge, an unusual pairing of talents that suited Holbein's own interest in precise, detailed representation.
A ceiling built for a French embassy
The most substantial documented collaboration between the two men was the Greenwich ceiling of 1527. Henry VIII was preparing to entertain a French diplomatic embassy that May, and Holbein spent several weeks that spring painting a ceiling for a temporary theatre showing a map of the world combined with a representation of the heavens above it, a design that, through theatrical staging, incorporated both the earth and sky into a single overhead scene[1]. The design may have been developed jointly with Kratzer's astronomical expertise rather than by Holbein alone, and payment records show Holbein working on the project intensively through February and into early March that year, alongside a separate battle scene commemorating an English victory over the French, an oddly pointed choice of decoration for a diplomatic entertainment meant to honour French guests.
A gift book Holbein illuminated by hand
Kratzer composed the Canones Horoptri as a personal New Year's gift for Henry VIII, presented on 1 January 1529: a small manuscript, bound in green velvet, explaining how to use an instrument called the horoptrum to calculate the times of sunrise and sunset[1]. Holbein contributed the illuminated lettering on its title page, work in a lively, elegant Renaissance grotesque style distinct from the Netherlandish manuscript conventions more common in England at the time. This is the only surviving example of manuscript illumination securely attributed to Holbein's own hand, though the technique he used closely resembles the method he later applied to portrait miniatures, suggesting the small-scale gift book anticipated skills Holbein would put to wider use.
Common questions
Who was Nicholas Kratzer?
A German-born astronomer who served as royal astronomer to Henry VIII. He was a close friend and repeated collaborator of Holbein's from around 1519 onward.
What did Holbein and Kratzer work on together?
At least three documented projects: a ceiling map of the world and heavens for a temporary theatre at Greenwich Palace in 1527, the illuminated title page of Kratzer's astronomical gift manuscript for Henry VIII in 1529, and technical design work on an elaborate clocksalt in 1543.
What instruments appear in the portrait?
Holbein surrounded Kratzer with the mathematical and astronomical instruments of his profession, painted with the same close, tactile precision he brought to still-life detail in his other scholar portraits, following the tradition he had already used for Erasmus.
Where is this portrait now?
It is held at the Louvre in Paris.
Sources
Editorial draws on the following references, verified against the museum and public-domain image record for this work.
- [1] book Foister, Susan, 1954-, Holbein in England Used for: this artwork.
- [2] book Beckett, Wendy, The story of painting Used for: this artwork.
Editorial overseen by Solis Prints. Sources verified 2026-09-03. Click a source for details, or hover over [N] in the page above to preview.
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