Why did Jean de Dinteville and Georges de Selve have there picture painted?

Answer 1

Both de Selve and de Dinteville served as dimplomats under the reign of the French king Francis 1. http://www.artsheaven.com/hans-holbein-the-ambassadors.html The identity of Georges de Selve is questionable. Some think that this is actually Jean De Dinteville's brother Francois who was very interested in the arts. Although, in one of G. de Selve's writings there is reference made to quotes found in the hymn book that is located on a shelf in the painting. One gentleman puts forth the notion that the reason the relationship between the two gentlemen is "undisclosed" is that it may have been the "sort" of relationship that might have been "frowned upon" in that day and age, as other paintings of that time period which had two persons sitting, were typically a man and his wife. His paper is an interesting read on thie particular piece and worth a look, imho : http://www.tau.ac.il/~kenaan/readers/holbein.pdf Of course, this assumes that the gentleman in question was Georges de Selve and not Jeans brother Francois. Below are listed some links which might be of benefit to those "Enquiring Minds" with time on their hands: http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/ARTH/arth214/deSelve_peaceinChrist.html http://www.artsheaven.com/hans-holbein-the-ambassadors.html https://metropolitanmuseum.org/toah/hd/nman/hod_50.70.htm Again, it is another painting, but strange in that is depicts the de Dinteville family members as participants in the Exodus story of Moses and Pharoah frm The Bible with individual family members portraying some of the key parts. Is this a clue into the family's importance in French government during the Renn and Reformation? Apparently so, and yet allusions are shrouded in mystery. Francois de Dinteville was succeeded as Bishop of Auxerre by another Francois de Dinteville. Anyway, that is all I have collected so far.