The books Johann Froben printed were distributed across Europe, which meant that Holbein’s illustrations (if not his name) were disseminated as well. In 1521 the London printer Richard Pynson had an exact copy of the Mucius Scaevola border produced for his own use. Although the initials HH were retained, Pynson was likely more interested in emulating the quality of Froben’s production than Holbein’s artistic creation. In fact, many title-page borders used by the Basel printers—those designed by Holbein and others—were copied across Europe in efforts to capitalize on the notoriety of Basel printing.
Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.
Plan your visit. 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, New York, NY 10016.