Monday, January 08, 2007

Anne of Cleves, by Hans Holbein.




This is a wonderful portrait I saw at Tate Britain. Painted by Hans Holbein the Younger. Henry V111 was looking for a new bride and sent Holbein to paint Anne of Cleves, so that he knew what she looked like.

However, Henry wrote to Cromwell on his wedding day,

"My Lord, if it were not to satisfy the world and my Realm, I would not do that I must do this day for no earthly thing"

Anne was Henry's fourth wife, it was a brief marriage, much to the relief of both spouses.
Henry referred to his bride"Flanders Mare"

He told his Ambassadors and courtiers he could not perform his marital duties
because of Anne's appearance.

They were both relieved when the marriage was dissolved, and Anne was given several homes, including Hever Castle and a generous allowance. She often visited Henry's court as an honoured guest.

Holbein died about 5 years later in London from the plague.

You will see she looks very good in this painting, but Holbein had flattered her,
and posed her in such a way, sort of leaning slightly forward hands placed in rather a provocative way.

posted by Rupe at 4:09 PM

Comments on "Anne of Cleves, by Hans Holbein."

 

Blogger Linda Mason said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 7:39:00 PM) : 

I read in one of the many books that I have read on the subject of H8 and his wives, that it is was Anne's smell and her lack of attention to her personal hygiene that really got up up H8's nose, so to speak. I guess we will never know for sure but I doubt she was as ugly as some would have us believe.

It is a lovely portrait though.

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 8:14:00 PM) : 

Mags, I am quite interested in Anne of Cleves, so I am doing a bit of research.
It was seeing this paintng and the entire exhibition which has wetted my appetite.

I have also heard she was a bit unsavoury, smell wise.

I find it fascinating how Holbein manipulated the image of Anne to flatter her. To please Henry whose Ambassadors and advisors wanted this marriage for political purposes.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 9:59:00 PM) : 

Every time I go to Brighton (to see Thomas) I always wish I had the time to go and see her house in nearby Lewes.

There is a plaque on a house in Ware High Street (my Mother-in-law lives in Ware) that states (AND I suddenly can't remember whether it's Katherine of Aragon or Anne of Cleves) but one of them stayed there en route to London to meet Henry VIII.

I think that Anne of Cleves survived by being able to be friends with Henry - she was probably as relieved as he was about the divorce.

Do you remember that superb BBC series in the mid-70s? Henry VIII and his six wives? (Keith Michell, Annette Crosbie, Dorothy Tutin et al?) I was only quite young but was entralled!

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 10:40:00 PM) : 

I remember that series very well Sarnia.

BTW, a miniature of Anne of Cleves
exists, painted by a German artist.
When it was Xray'd her nose was shown to have been very long. The artist had made it smaller for the final view.

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 10:52:00 PM) : 

There was no divorce between Henry and Anne, the marriage was annulled
due to non consumation. At least that was the official story.
Anne wrote a letter to Henry, for "publication" saying just that.
Henry was so grateful, that he treated her very generously.

In fact they had spent a jolly night together when Henry disguised,
went to meet her when she broke
her first journey to London.
I think at Rochester Castle.

 

Blogger Linda Mason said ... (Monday, January 08, 2007 11:21:00 PM) : 

Talking of Anne's, have you ever visited Hever Castle? It's wonderful little place. I was quite enchanted because it's such a compact castle and little has changed since Anne Boleyn's time.

BTW Sarnia, I recommend Bess of Hardwick by Mary S Lovell. It's a biography. Very interesting book, well written with lots of wonderful anecdotes and extremely well researched. Unlike certain other historical books we have read, this one doesn't tail off in the last third of the book and does give a real insight into the late tudor period.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:48:00 AM) : 

I've heard of that book, Mags. Must get it.

My brother gave me a book called "Henry VIII's last Victim, the life and times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey" by Jessie Childs which looks promising.

Have you got Phillipa Gregory's latest? The Boleyn Inheritance? Her last two were disappointing so I am reluctant to start this one.

Not surprised by that, Rupe.

Cromwell et al were desperate for Henry to marry again and produce another heir.

 

Blogger Gavin Corder said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 1:56:00 AM) : 

I've read a few of Phillipa Gregory's but I have to say I'm not mightily impressed. The Virgins Lover was Ok but The Wise Woman was crap!

I wont read any more of hers.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2:11:00 AM) : 

Most of her books are a fantastic read though, Gavin.

There's a trilogy which is fascinating - name does not spring to mind unfortunately - I'll blame it on the BH!

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:27:00 AM) : 

I had a search in Waterstones yesterday, and found two books on Henry and his wives, one by David Starkey and the other by Antonia Fraser. Starkey was too thick and heavy, so have got A. Fraser's.

Have any of you read either?

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:01:00 PM) : 

I've read the Antonia Fraser, Rupe and it was very good indeed.

I received her latest (about Louis XIV - the Sun King) for C'mas.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 12:06:00 PM) : 

Meant to say - I also recommend The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Alison Weir. Very readable.

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2:44:00 PM) : 

Thanks everybody.
I like the sound of Bess of Hardwick. x

 

Blogger Linda Mason said ... (Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:18:00 PM) : 

Sarnia, yes I have the new PG novel but it is well down my reading list at present. I will let you know what I think though in due course unless you beat me to it.

Rupe, I agree with Sarnia, the Antonia Fraser book is good. I've read the Starkey book too but I don't like Starkey's style. He's far too impressed with H8 and royalty in general to consider the evidence dispassionately. I have read the Alison Weir book too but I was so unimpressed with her treatment of Arabella Stuart in a separate book, that I read it with prejudice and so perhaps did not enjoy it as much than if I had read that one first. The other thing I don't like about Weir is that she has some funny peculiarities regarding interpretation of evidence that has been used before by other historians/authors. Perhaps this is more to do with the fact that she is an author first rather than a historian.

Bess of Hardwick is a real page turner, which for a biography is highly unusual.

 

Blogger Rupe said ... (Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:23:00 AM) : 

Thanks Mags.....I've ordered Bess of Hardwick.

 

Anonymous Anonymous said ... (Friday, January 12, 2007 1:16:00 AM) : 

I've just booked 4 days in Brighton for Katherine and me at February half-term.

I am determined to go to Lewes and see Anne of Cleve's house!

 

Blogger Linda Mason said ... (Wednesday, January 17, 2007 8:52:00 PM) : 

Sarnia, I decided to start reading the new PG novel and I'm 150 pages in and wholly unimpressed. Too 'romantic' an outlook so far. BTW the house in Lewes...apparently there is no evidence that she even visited let alone stayed there but it is a rather lovely example of a house of that period, so I've read. I hadn't realised (or perhaps it didn't sink in when I visited) that Anne spent some considerable time at Hever Castle because that was part of the large annulment settlement too!

 

Blogger Gavin Corder said ... (Thursday, January 18, 2007 7:07:00 PM) : 

" I'm 150 pages in and wholly unimpressed. Too 'romantic' an outlook so far."


See!!!!!!!!!

 

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