decorate their newly-built council-hall.

Holbein gave early proofs of his aspiring talent. When fifteen years
old, he exhibited an oil-painting, which, though defective in colouring,
raised high expectations by its clearness and softness of execution.
This painting is still to be seen in the public library at Basel, and
bears the date of 1513. Of the same year, a sketch, with the monogram
HH, is extant, representing three watchmen with halberds. His two
brothers were also painters; only a few paintings are left of the elder,
Ambrose, and none of the younger brother Bruno; both died prematurely.
In the year 1520, Holbein was presented with the freedom of the town of
Basel.

Switzerland held constant communications with Germany and the
Netherlands, but less with Italy. A number of painters lived at that
time in Germany, whose names have not been recorded by any German
Vasari, and their master works have been long neglected. In Holbein's
time Albrecht Durer enjoyed the primary reputation. Martin Schoen had
preceded him at Colmar, in Alsace; Manuel painted at Bern, Hans Asper at
Zurich, and at Basel itself there were other painters besides Holbein.
Half a century before him the _Dance of Death_ had been painted,
after the disaster of a plague, on the walls of a church-yard at Basel.

The council-hall at Basel gave occupation to architects from 1508 till
1520. It is believed that Holbein painted three of the walls, only one
of which (hid behind old tapestry, and discovered again in 1817) has
escaped the ravages of time. It represents M. Curius Dentatus cooking
his dinner, whilst the Samnites offer silver plates with money. "The
last Judgment," where a pope, with priests and monks, sink into the
flames of hell, is not the work of Holbein, but was done in 1610, during