Portrait of a Boy with Blond Hair

German painter This portrait of a young blond-haired boy was created this in 1516 and is traditionally attributed to Hans Holbein the Younger, though some scholars associate it with his elder brother Ambrosius Holbein. The boy is depicted against an elaborately detailed architectural background with ornate framing adorned by cherubic figures and elaborate carvings.

The features are rendered with delicate precision, a hallmark of Northern Renaissance portraiture. The boy's flowing garments with defined lines contrast against the darker background, highlighting his youthful presence. A companion piece, "Portrait of a Boy with Brown Hair," exists from the same period, and both are associated with Ambrosius Holbein's best work.

Ambrosius was Hans's elder brother by about three years but died in his mid-twenties, leaving a small body of work. It hangs at the Kunstmuseum Basel in Switzerland, along with the companion portrait.