A Tudor outing
On Thursday I went to the National Portrait Gallery with a friend to see their exhibition: Six Lives The Stories of Henry VIII’s Queens.
The exhibition focussed on each of the women caught up in the reign of Henry VIII and his desperate need to sire an heir to continue the Tudor dynasty and secure his Kingdom. In a time when women had very little personal choice in their lives, it highlighted how they were manipulated by those around them and their fate due to Henry's increasing frustration with not having an heir.
This portrait of Henry VIII from the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger (1537) is one of the first things you see, and is very impressive!
It also included how the tales of the Queens and Henry's reign have been told over the years and in so many different formats (in books, on stage and on screen) and how the people involved are still depicted in popular culture (in portraits, waxworks, in ceramic and even as Christmas decorations). It also pointed out that many of the images of the Queens are pure speculation as so many of their contemporary portraits were destroyed (particularly if they were unlucky enough to have been accused of treason).
It was a huge exhibition (we were there for three hours), so I've only selected some things that caught my eye under the cut with brief details for context.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547) is one of the most famous English monarchs because his decisions still have consequences for British society today. He's also known for the Queens and how they lived (and died) - this is a rhyme most people are familiar with when they think of Henry - a reminder of how each marriage ended:
The exhibition starts with how Henry and his wives have been remembered over the years such as this poster for Hampton Court Palace by Charles Paine (1922) I love the depiction of Anne!
Costumes from various stage productions:
This was worn by Joan Sutherland as Anna in the Royal Opera House production of Anna Bolena (1988)
Rosanna Adams wore this as Anna of Cleves in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Mirror and the Light (2021)
Catherine of Aragon from SIX The Musical (2020)
Katherine of Aragon (1485-1536) ruled for more than 20 years and was a diplomat, military leader and devout Catholic with close ties to the powerful Habsburg family in Europe.
1501 Catalina de Castilla y Aragón arrived in England aged 16 and was married to Prince Arthur (Henry's brother) who died a year later.
1509 Henry (aged 18) - marries 24 year old Katherine.
1511 - she gives birth to a son who dies a few weeks later
1516 - she gives birth to a daughter - Mary
1533 - her marriage is annulled following Henry's break from the Church in Rome. She becomes Princess Dowager (Prince Arthur's widow) and many of the references to her as Queen (such as her personal emblems) are removed from buildings etc. She remains loyal to Henry throughout this time.
Portrait by an unidentified artist (around 1520)
A portrait of Henry from the same time. Katherine didn't like his beard and he shaved it off :)
A miniature of Princess Mary(1522)
Anne Boleyn (1509-1536) - born in England, but educated abroad in Austria and France, she returned to England with the appearance and manners of a 'native-born Frenchwoman'. She refused to become Henry's mistress (as her sister had been) and waited seven years to marry him.
1526 - Henry starts to court Anne and jousts in her honour wearing the motto 'Declare I dare not'
1533 Henry (aged 42) - marries 22-year-old Anne following the annulment of his previous marriage. In the same year, she gives birth to Elizabeth.
1534 suffers a miscarriage
1536 delivers a stillborn son. In the same year, she is tried for treason, her marriage is annulled and she is executed at the Tower of London. All her likenesses and emblems are removed from view and destroyed.
This is probably the most well-known portrait of Anne - the inscription describes her as Henry's wife, but not his Queen. It is thought to have been painted in the late 16th century during Elizabeth's reign to proclaim Elizabeth's legitimacy.
A miniature of Henry VIII (1526) around the time he was courting Anne
As well as exchanging letters Henry sent Anne gifts such as this gold whistle pendant (combined with cosmetic implements) (1525-30). It was tiny (around 3cm/just over an inch)
The only contemporary portrait of Anne (1534) that is considered to be a genuine likeness. Unfortunately, as it's made of lead it is distorted. It may have been made to celebrate her second pregnancy in anticipation that it would be a son.
Jane Seymour (1508-1537) described herself as 'a well-born damsel, the daughter of good and honourable parents without blame or reproach of any kind.'
1529 first appears at court.
1533 serves as lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn. As part of Anne's inner circle she would have seen first-hand what happened during Anne's brief marriage.
1535 Henry visits Jane's family at their home Wolf Hall.
1536 Henry (aged 45) marries 27-year-old Jane Seymour. He considers her his 'first wife' as his previous two marriages have been annulled.
1537 Jane dies from complications following the birth of a son, Edward. Henry continues to have Jane's portraits displayed after her death and her emblems remained visible at court. He chose to be buried next to her in Windsor after his death.
A portrait from the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger (1540).
This pendant is very similar to one worn in the portrait above. Enamelled gold, garnet, peridot and sapphire (1540). The pendant she wears in the portrait was also listed amongst the inventories of Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr's jewels.
IHS Pendant set with diamonds. Jane wore something similar in several portraits indicating her religious conservatism.
Jane's son, Edward, Prince of Wales by Hans Holbein - a design for a portrait jewel. We thought this was adorable! He is shown with a little dog and the oak leaves and acorns signify the longevity of the Tudor dynasty. Only nine when he became King in 1547, he died in 1553 aged 15.
Royal Arms of Jane Seymour (1536), decoration at the royal palaces demonstrated the strength of the Tudor dynasty. The emblems and initials of all Henry's queens adorned many surfaces proclaiming the status of the queen and her family (and were removed if those queens fell from favour).
Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) was born in Düsseldorf and was chosen as Henry's queen to secure a defensive alliance against France and the Holy Roman Empire.
1539 Contracted in marriage to Henry, he was very disappointed when he finally met her as she did not live up to the image he had created of her from her portrait.
1540 Henry (aged 49) marries 25-year-old Anne of Cleves. The marriage was annulled after six months and she was much admired for her dignified acceptance of her situation. She was subsequently honoured as the king's 'sister' and outlived Henry.
This portrait by Batholomaeus Bruyn the Elder (mid 16th century), was not well-received by the English.
Hans Holbein the Younger was sent to Cleves to paint her again. Henry was still very disappointed when he met her in person.
Henry made generous provision of several properties for Anne if she accepted the marriage was to be annulled and she would retain her royal status. This is her badge, carved in oak.
Katherine Howard (1523-1542)
1536 she was discovered in the embrace of Henry Manor, her music teacher
1538 she was in a relationship with Francis Dereham
1539 appointed as maid of honour to Anne of Cleves - and comes to Henry's attention as he waits for Anne to arrive in England. He was apparently besotted with her.
1540 Henry (aged 49 and in poor health) marries 17-year-old Katherine Howard only weeks after his divorce from Anne of Cleves.
1541 Her private meetings with the courtier Thomas Culpeper are discovered and the rumours of her previous relationships start to undermine her position. She is deprived of her queenship.
1542 Executed for treason at the Tower of London. Henry was apparently devastated and is said to have 'shown greater sorrow and regret' at her 'loss'.
Generally accepted to be an accurate portrait of Katherine Howard by Hans Hobein the Younger (1540)
A contemporary portrait of Henry in (around 1542).
Katherine Parr (1512-1548) - named in honour of Katherine of Aragon (who may have been her godmother), she was highly educated - a writer and skilled linguist and a patron of portraiture.
1529 married Edward Borough
1539 married John Nevill, 3rd Baron Latimer
1542 Enters the service of Henry's daughter Mary
1543 Henry (aged 52) - marries 31-year-old Katherine Parr (who was hoping to marry Thomas Seymour, but accepted the role of queen as an act of service to God).
1544 Publishes Psalms or Prayers and serves as Regent
1547 secretly marries Thomas Seymour after Henry's death
1548 dies following the birth of her daughter, Mary.
Katherine commissed portraits from a number of artists during her reign.
A portrait from 1543 - probably commissioned to celebrate her marriage. She is shown a dress made partly from cloth of gold.
This miniature (1544) shows her wearing the Tau cross worn by Katherine of Aragon and Jane Seymour.
Thomas Seymour, Baron Seymour of Sudeley (1545). She bequeathed everything to Thomas in her will, but everything was inventoried and returned to the Crown. She is buried in Sudeley Castle.
Portraits of the children from Henry's reign commissioned by Katherine.
Prince Edward (1546) (later Edward V)
Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I). She was brought back to court by Katherine who ensured she was restored to the line of succession. This portrait is cut down.
Princess Mary (1544). Katherine was only four years older than her stepdaughter, and they became close (she named her own daughter after her).
It was an amazing exhibition and definitely worth seeing.
The exhibition focussed on each of the women caught up in the reign of Henry VIII and his desperate need to sire an heir to continue the Tudor dynasty and secure his Kingdom. In a time when women had very little personal choice in their lives, it highlighted how they were manipulated by those around them and their fate due to Henry's increasing frustration with not having an heir.
This portrait of Henry VIII from the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger (1537) is one of the first things you see, and is very impressive!
It also included how the tales of the Queens and Henry's reign have been told over the years and in so many different formats (in books, on stage and on screen) and how the people involved are still depicted in popular culture (in portraits, waxworks, in ceramic and even as Christmas decorations). It also pointed out that many of the images of the Queens are pure speculation as so many of their contemporary portraits were destroyed (particularly if they were unlucky enough to have been accused of treason).
It was a huge exhibition (we were there for three hours), so I've only selected some things that caught my eye under the cut with brief details for context.
King Henry VIII (1491-1547) is one of the most famous English monarchs because his decisions still have consequences for British society today. He's also known for the Queens and how they lived (and died) - this is a rhyme most people are familiar with when they think of Henry - a reminder of how each marriage ended:
The exhibition starts with how Henry and his wives have been remembered over the years such as this poster for Hampton Court Palace by Charles Paine (1922) I love the depiction of Anne!
Costumes from various stage productions:
This was worn by Joan Sutherland as Anna in the Royal Opera House production of Anna Bolena (1988)
Rosanna Adams wore this as Anna of Cleves in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Mirror and the Light (2021)
Catherine of Aragon from SIX The Musical (2020)
Katherine of Aragon (1485-1536) ruled for more than 20 years and was a diplomat, military leader and devout Catholic with close ties to the powerful Habsburg family in Europe.
1501 Catalina de Castilla y Aragón arrived in England aged 16 and was married to Prince Arthur (Henry's brother) who died a year later.
1509 Henry (aged 18) - marries 24 year old Katherine.
1511 - she gives birth to a son who dies a few weeks later
1516 - she gives birth to a daughter - Mary
1533 - her marriage is annulled following Henry's break from the Church in Rome. She becomes Princess Dowager (Prince Arthur's widow) and many of the references to her as Queen (such as her personal emblems) are removed from buildings etc. She remains loyal to Henry throughout this time.
Portrait by an unidentified artist (around 1520)
A portrait of Henry from the same time. Katherine didn't like his beard and he shaved it off :)
A miniature of Princess Mary(1522)
Anne Boleyn (1509-1536) - born in England, but educated abroad in Austria and France, she returned to England with the appearance and manners of a 'native-born Frenchwoman'. She refused to become Henry's mistress (as her sister had been) and waited seven years to marry him.
1526 - Henry starts to court Anne and jousts in her honour wearing the motto 'Declare I dare not'
1533 Henry (aged 42) - marries 22-year-old Anne following the annulment of his previous marriage. In the same year, she gives birth to Elizabeth.
1534 suffers a miscarriage
1536 delivers a stillborn son. In the same year, she is tried for treason, her marriage is annulled and she is executed at the Tower of London. All her likenesses and emblems are removed from view and destroyed.
This is probably the most well-known portrait of Anne - the inscription describes her as Henry's wife, but not his Queen. It is thought to have been painted in the late 16th century during Elizabeth's reign to proclaim Elizabeth's legitimacy.
A miniature of Henry VIII (1526) around the time he was courting Anne
As well as exchanging letters Henry sent Anne gifts such as this gold whistle pendant (combined with cosmetic implements) (1525-30). It was tiny (around 3cm/just over an inch)
The only contemporary portrait of Anne (1534) that is considered to be a genuine likeness. Unfortunately, as it's made of lead it is distorted. It may have been made to celebrate her second pregnancy in anticipation that it would be a son.
Jane Seymour (1508-1537) described herself as 'a well-born damsel, the daughter of good and honourable parents without blame or reproach of any kind.'
1529 first appears at court.
1533 serves as lady-in-waiting to Anne Boleyn. As part of Anne's inner circle she would have seen first-hand what happened during Anne's brief marriage.
1535 Henry visits Jane's family at their home Wolf Hall.
1536 Henry (aged 45) marries 27-year-old Jane Seymour. He considers her his 'first wife' as his previous two marriages have been annulled.
1537 Jane dies from complications following the birth of a son, Edward. Henry continues to have Jane's portraits displayed after her death and her emblems remained visible at court. He chose to be buried next to her in Windsor after his death.
A portrait from the workshop of Hans Holbein the Younger (1540).
This pendant is very similar to one worn in the portrait above. Enamelled gold, garnet, peridot and sapphire (1540). The pendant she wears in the portrait was also listed amongst the inventories of Katherine Howard and Katherine Parr's jewels.
IHS Pendant set with diamonds. Jane wore something similar in several portraits indicating her religious conservatism.
Jane's son, Edward, Prince of Wales by Hans Holbein - a design for a portrait jewel. We thought this was adorable! He is shown with a little dog and the oak leaves and acorns signify the longevity of the Tudor dynasty. Only nine when he became King in 1547, he died in 1553 aged 15.
Royal Arms of Jane Seymour (1536), decoration at the royal palaces demonstrated the strength of the Tudor dynasty. The emblems and initials of all Henry's queens adorned many surfaces proclaiming the status of the queen and her family (and were removed if those queens fell from favour).
Anne of Cleves (1515-1557) was born in Düsseldorf and was chosen as Henry's queen to secure a defensive alliance against France and the Holy Roman Empire.
1539 Contracted in marriage to Henry, he was very disappointed when he finally met her as she did not live up to the image he had created of her from her portrait.
1540 Henry (aged 49) marries 25-year-old Anne of Cleves. The marriage was annulled after six months and she was much admired for her dignified acceptance of her situation. She was subsequently honoured as the king's 'sister' and outlived Henry.
This portrait by Batholomaeus Bruyn the Elder (mid 16th century), was not well-received by the English.
Hans Holbein the Younger was sent to Cleves to paint her again. Henry was still very disappointed when he met her in person.
Henry made generous provision of several properties for Anne if she accepted the marriage was to be annulled and she would retain her royal status. This is her badge, carved in oak.
Katherine Howard (1523-1542)
1536 she was discovered in the embrace of Henry Manor, her music teacher
1538 she was in a relationship with Francis Dereham
1539 appointed as maid of honour to Anne of Cleves - and comes to Henry's attention as he waits for Anne to arrive in England. He was apparently besotted with her.
1540 Henry (aged 49 and in poor health) marries 17-year-old Katherine Howard only weeks after his divorce from Anne of Cleves.
1541 Her private meetings with the courtier Thomas Culpeper are discovered and the rumours of her previous relationships start to undermine her position. She is deprived of her queenship.
1542 Executed for treason at the Tower of London. Henry was apparently devastated and is said to have 'shown greater sorrow and regret' at her 'loss'.
Generally accepted to be an accurate portrait of Katherine Howard by Hans Hobein the Younger (1540)
A contemporary portrait of Henry in (around 1542).
Katherine Parr (1512-1548) - named in honour of Katherine of Aragon (who may have been her godmother), she was highly educated - a writer and skilled linguist and a patron of portraiture.
1529 married Edward Borough
1539 married John Nevill, 3rd Baron Latimer
1542 Enters the service of Henry's daughter Mary
1543 Henry (aged 52) - marries 31-year-old Katherine Parr (who was hoping to marry Thomas Seymour, but accepted the role of queen as an act of service to God).
1544 Publishes Psalms or Prayers and serves as Regent
1547 secretly marries Thomas Seymour after Henry's death
1548 dies following the birth of her daughter, Mary.
Katherine commissed portraits from a number of artists during her reign.
A portrait from 1543 - probably commissioned to celebrate her marriage. She is shown a dress made partly from cloth of gold.
This miniature (1544) shows her wearing the Tau cross worn by Katherine of Aragon and Jane Seymour.
Thomas Seymour, Baron Seymour of Sudeley (1545). She bequeathed everything to Thomas in her will, but everything was inventoried and returned to the Crown. She is buried in Sudeley Castle.
Portraits of the children from Henry's reign commissioned by Katherine.
Prince Edward (1546) (later Edward V)
Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I). She was brought back to court by Katherine who ensured she was restored to the line of succession. This portrait is cut down.
Princess Mary (1544). Katherine was only four years older than her stepdaughter, and they became close (she named her own daughter after her).
It was an amazing exhibition and definitely worth seeing.