As you might have gathered from my various posts on the subject, the Tudor era is one of my favourite historical periods. So many of the images we have in our minds of various Tudor personalities come from the pencils and brushes of Hans Holbein, the German born artist who ended up in London. His great portrait of King Henry VIII, bejewelled and confident, was painted in 1540. Holbein also travelled to Germany to paint a young woman named Anne, as Henry was considering her as a suitable fourth wife. The picture did the trick, and Anne of Cleves became Queen, though thanks to not looking as attractive as her portrait, Henry divorced her and she was able to enjoy a far happier life than that endured by most of his wives.
Interestingly, there’s a new book out about her – Accounting for Anne: The Tudor Queen who Could Have Been by James Taffe. Holbein also painted Jane Seymour, Thomas More, Sir Thomas Cromwell, and the poet Thomas Wyatt.
There’s a newish biography of the artist by Franny Moyle, The King’s Painter: The Life and Times of Hans Holbein, published in 2021. I hadn’t realised that his father, Hans Holbein the Elder, was also a prestigious artist. I learned so much of interest in this excellent book, about his early beginnings as an artist and the sorts of pictures he worked on, a first and successful visit to London, time in Switzerland, and then the move to London where he officially became ‘the King’s Painter’ and made good money. He knew the King, a few of his wives, and the important statesmen of the day. Everyone praised the realism of his portraits. But the book takes you deep into the portraits, looking at the symbolism of items on tables in the background, or on the walls. I found it all fascinating.
I love a good biography and this one was erudite and rich in social detail. Very little written by Holbein still exists and there are gaps when it comes to knowledge about his marriage, family, personal life, and even what he died from, but Franny Moyle does an excellent job in making the man and his art come alive.
Have you read these stories? Let me know by leaving a comment.
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Maria
Holbein was a wonderful artist and the Tudor period is a favourite of mine as well, though I find the violence more than a little troubling. Thanks for another great recommendation for my reading list. I love a good historical biography. I only wish I read as quickly as you seem to, so that my reading list could be more manageable.
Susannah Fullerton
Yes, the violence was awful, but such an intriguing time in history.
I am a fast reader, but always have a book with me and somehow get through many, but live in a permanent state of wishing I had mroe reading time.
I am so glad you have enjoyed my recommendations.