--Kiana Alzate--

This painting is called "Portrait of Erasmus of Rotterdam" (1523) by Hans Holbein the Younger. I found this painting to be interesting because of the expression on Desiderius' face. The angle of the column on the left and the curtain revealing the books tilted on the right point to his face, where there is so much going on; especially as a supplement to his ridiculous coat. 

Hans Holbein the Younger was known for his portraits and his detail in realist perspective, which in other words I found a term that explains this: verisimilitude, or believability. 

This portrait definitely makes me believe who Desiderius Erasmus was, personality as well as career. He appears scholarly, or educated, a "humanist and Catholic Christian theorist," was the description online. Holbein's ability to capture his almost smug, but listening and all-knowing demeanor is quite beautiful. Holbein was very interested in capturing not only outward appearance but also use of symbolism, allusion and paradox in his paintings. 

This is kind of irrelevant but does the woman figure on the column to his left slightly reminiscent of the Starbucks design?