Henry
VIII
was the first English king to employ artists to paint portraits of
the royal family. Henry was not very impressed with English artists
and therefore recruited them from Europe. The most important of these
was the German artist, Hans
Holbein,
who was appointed in 1536.
Henry
and other members of the royal family were unwilling to spend long
periods of time sitting in front of Holbein while he painted them.
Holbein was normally only allowed one three-hour sitting and in this
time he made sketches in black ink and coloured chalks. He would then
spend the next few weeks painting the picture in oils.
After
Hans
Holbein had
finished a portrait of Henry that he liked, his assistants would make
several copies of the painting. Some of these copies were displayed
in England while others were sent to foreign monarchs. As well as
life-size paintings, Holbein, like other court painters, also produced
miniature portraits. Miniatures were usually painted in water colours.
Placed inside frames made of gold
and precious stones, these miniatures were designed to be worn as
pieces of jewellery.
After the death of Jane
Seymour, Henry began to look for another wife. His Lord Chancellor,
Thomas Cromwell, wanted England to form
an alliance with the Protestants in Saxony. One way Henry could do
this was by marrying Anne of Cleves, the
daughter of the Protestant leader. Duke John Frederick.
In 1539 Henry was sent
paintings of Anne but he suspected that the artist had exaggerated
Anne's beauty. Henry therefore sent Hans
Holbein to Saxony to paint her picture. On the evidence of Holbein's
painting. Henry decided to sign the marriage contract. However, when
Anne of Cleves arrived in England
for the wedding Henry was very disappointed with her. Although he
agreed that Holbein had captured her physical likeness. Henry did
not like her personality.
Another important artist
of the Tudor court was Levina Teerline.
Levina was born in Bruges and was recruited by Henry
VIII in 1546. Her work was much admired by Elizabeth
I. We know from court records that Levina presented a new portrait
of Elizabeth every New Year's Day.
The most important English
artist of the Tudor period was Nicholas
Hilliard. He specialized in painting miniatures and was commissioned
to paint several of Queen Elizabeth. When Elizabeth was considering
marrying the Due d' Alencon
in 1577, she sent Hilliard to France to paint his picture. However,
after seeing his portrait she decided against the marriage.
Henry VIII (c.1540)
(1)
Jasper Ridley, Henry VIII (1984)
Henry VIII... was very tall, about six foot three or six
foot four, with broad shoulders... When he was a young man... He wore
his red-gold hair long, and was clean shaven... He had a thin... high-pitched
voice and... small, piggy eyes.
(2)
John Bowie, Henry VIII (1964)
At eighteen
his face had a feminine beauty, with pink and white cheeks... At twenty-three,
he was six foot two, 42 inches round the chest, 35 round the waist;
at fifty, his chest would be 57 inches and his waist 54.
(3)
Paul Johnson, Elizabeth I (1974)
Elizabeth... ordered all
public officers to seek out and destroy portraits that gave "great
offence" to her.
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