The Selling of Indulgences

The Selling of Indulgences by Hans Holbein the Younger is a powerful example of early Reformation-era German printmaking. Created as a woodcut sometime between 1510 and 1543, this piece captures the intense religious tension central to the period, specifically targeting the controversial Catholic practice of selling pardons for sins. Woodcuts were the essential medium for rapidly disseminating political and theological critiques, making prints like this widely influential in shaping public opinion across Northern Europe.

The detailed composition focuses on a densely populated interior scene, likely a makeshift church or sales point. Younger skillfully depicts numerous figures engaged in the transaction, surrounded by both devout and skeptical observers. Men and women fill the space, illustrating the spectrum of public reaction to indulgences. While some figures are shown kneeling or praying, perhaps seeking genuine spiritual comfort from the exchange, others appear purely transactional or judgmental of the practice itself.

Younger’s mastery of the woodcut technique is evident in the sharp, expressive linework and strong contrasts of light and shadow, typical of the Northern Renaissance style. This classification as a print confirms its role as an accessible, reproducible commentary on the social and theological climate that ultimately led to the schism in Western Christianity. Housed within the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this historic image is frequently studied, and high-quality prints of the work are often accessible through public domain art initiatives, ensuring its continued impact on historical scholarship.