Henry James

The Ambassadors Illustrated Henry James

The Ambassadors (1533) is a painting by Hans Holbein the Younger. Also known as Jean DE Interviewer and Georges DE Salve, it was created in the Tudor period, in the same year Elizabeth was born. Concerned that her son Chad may have become involved with a woman of dubious reputation, the formidable Mrs. New some sends her 'ambassador' Stretcher from Massachusetts to Paris to extricate him. Stretcher's mission, however, is gradually undermined as he falls under the spell of the city and finds Chad refined rather than corrupted by its influence and that of his charming companion, Madame DE Vienna, and her daughter, Jeanne. As the summer wears on, Mrs. New some concludes that she must send another envoy to confront the errant Chad - and a Stretcher whose view of the world has changed profoundly. One of the greatest of James's late works, The Ambassadors is a subtle and witty exploration of different responses to a European environment. It also incorporates a much-cited example of anamorphosis in painting. It is part of the collection at the National Gallery in London.