Hans Holbein's Portrait Drawings: A View of the Tudor Court

If you are looking for a way to come face-to-face with the past, with the men and women of Henry VIII's court and family, I believe that the preparatory portrait drawings of Hans Holbein the Younger is a spectacular resource. We're exploring them today...

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Images (all held by the Royal Collection and sourced from Wikimedia Commons unless otherwise stated):

Self-portrait of Hans Holbein the Younger (1542 or 1543 – gold background of a later date). Held by the Uffizi Museum.

Portrait drawing of Simon George of Cornwall by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1535).

Portrait of Simon George of Cornwall by Hans Holbein the Younger (between 1536 and 1537). Held by the Städel Museum.

Portrait drawing of Margaret, Lady Butts by Hans Holbein the Younger (between c.1541 and c.1543).

Portrait of Lady Margaret Butts by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1543). Held by the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Portrait drawing of Elizabeth, Lady Vaux by Hans Holbein the Younger (circa 1536).

Portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Vaux after Hans Holbein (16th century). Held by the Prague Castle Picture Gallery.

Portrait drawing of Lady Audley by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1538).

Portrait Miniature of Lady Audley by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1538).

Portrait drawing of Sir Thomas Strange of Hunstanton by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1536).

Portrait of Sir Thomas Strange of Hunstanton by Hans Holbein the Younger (1536). Held by the Kimbell Art Museum.

Portrait drawing of Elizabeth, Lady Rich by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1535–40).

Portrait of Elizabeth, Lady Rich by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1540). Held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Portrait drawing of George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1532-43).

Portrait of George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham after Hans Holbein the Younger (after 1544).

Portrait drawing of Queen Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1536).

Portrait of Queen Jane Seymour by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1536-1537). Held by the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

Hans Holbein the Younger’s study for the Family Portrait of Thomas More (c.1527). Held by the Kupferstichkabinett, Öffentliche Kunstsammlung, Basel. From left to right: Elizabeth Dauncy (neé More), Margaret Giggs, John More Snr, Anne Cresacre, Thomas More, John More Jnr, Henry Patenson, Cecilia (or Cecily) Heron (neé More), Margaret Roper (neé More), Alice More.

The seven surviving portrait drawings linked to Hans Holbein the Younger’s study for the Family Portrait of Thomas More (c.1526-1527). Elizabeth Dauncy (neé More), Margaret Giggs, John More Snr, Anne Cresacre, Thomas More, John More Jnr, Cecilia (or Cecily) Heron (neé More).

Painting of Sir Thomas More and Family by Rowland Lockey after Hans Holbein the Younger (1592). Held by Nostell Priory.

Two portrait drawings of Sir Thomas More by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1526-1527).

Portrait of Sir Thomas by Hans Holbein the Younger (1527). Held by The Frick Collection.

Portrait of Thomas Cromwell by Hans Holbein the Younger (1532–1533). Held by The Frick Collection.

Portrait drawing of an unidentified woman (formerly identified as Eleanor Brandon) by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1532-1543).

Portrait drawing of Frances, Countess of Surrey by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1532-1533).

Portrait drawing of an unidentified woman (formerly identified as Anne of Cleves’ sister, Amelia) by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1532-1543).

Portrait drawing of the Lady Parker (most likely Grace) by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1530s).

Portrait drawing of the Lady Ratcliffe (most likely Elizabeth) by Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1532–1543).

Portrait drawing of a woman (later inscribed in gold over red "Anna Bollein Queen") by Hans Holbein the Younger (c. 1533–1536).

Portrait drawing of a lady (called Anne Boleyn) by Hans Holbein the Younger (c.1532–1535). Held by the British Museum.

[AB-vvfl]

I really prefer the portrait drawings over the portraits. The features are more open and give you a deeper feeling for the subject.

[StarrySoakedSkiess]

Where was this woman when I was bored out of my skull in history class? I would’ve LOVED history class if she was my teacher

[christinepaige]

For me, Holbein’s portrait drawings are so precious because unlike the very stiff, highly stylized portraiture that was predominant at the time (and also during the reign of Elizabeth), they show us the way these individuals _really_ looked with as close to what we think of as photographic accuracy as was achievable. The accurate portrayal of these individual faces clearly was Holbein’s main objective, and it has puzzled me that conveying such life-likeness seemed unimportant to so many portraitists of that time. It can’t be because no other artist had anything approaching Holbein’s talent; I’ve always thought that for some reason it must have been regarded as almost taboo to draw people in this way; perhaps it was considered almost indecently personal. Yet, if this collection of drawings has been owned by reputable people down through the centuries, could that really be the case? I wonder if Holbein was influenced by the highly realistic portrait busts that survive from Roman times which allow us to see, for example, what the emperors we read about in history books actually looked like in life. In any case, I revere Holbein’s greatness in giving us this marvelous window on people of the past.

[rach_laze]

Holy moly the velvet on the Thomas Moore portrait is incredible

[jenluv]

I wish time travel were possible... Some of these drawings really do look like they could have been drawn today! Excellent video, as always, Dr. Kat!

[borikkiv]

The drawings are amazing, when you see the finished portraits, even though they are undoubtedly masterful, they lose something that the drawings had. The expression in them is clearer and more compelling. I wonder if the "Ann Boleyn" drawing on the right is of someone ill? The eyes are looking sad, away and down, and the clothing would make sense if they were not well.

[DiamondCutter]

A couple months ago I bought a hard copy of those portraits, it's called " Holbein Drawings at Windsor Castle", and you're right, that face of that third unknown girl is remarkable and has always stood out to me too.
Holbein uncovered the secret of capturing and transferring peoples essence and energy through time, with his portraits.
You feel like you've been in the same room with the person just from looking at Holbein's drawings.
It's fascinating.

[wanketta]

I will always remember that in 1983 I saw an exhibit of some of Hans Holbein the Younger’s sketches/portraits at the Morgan Library in NYC. I left in tears as they were so very realistic, and emotionally impactful. The portraits seemed modern to me. He was gifted at capturing personality, surely more skilled than the majority of his peers. Thank you!

[karenguidry]

I think the lady you connected with looks like YOU!!! She also looks like she has a keen intelligence and a wicked sense of humor; like she could whisper something scandalous to you at a party while still maintaining a straight face😂

[joycestewart]

Hans Holbein the Younger is absolutely one of my favorite artists (of all time). It was he who gave us the fantasy image of Henry VIII. His draft drawings are almost as interesting as his final paintings. He was excellent at capturing personality. Thank you for doing this.

[TheMogregory]

Very happy I met you Dr Kat. I too am an historian and am amazed that anything new could be said about the Tudor period. But you've done just that. The content of your videos is great and your presentation of the material excellent. No personal agenda showing! Open minded and open for discussion. Very well done indeed. Thank you.

[elizabethmcglothlin]

I think one of the most brilliant portrait artists of all time. He didn't shrink from accuracy but still gave his subjects dignity--apparently whether of not he liked them. Remarkable.

[susannebrown]

On the artist, personally I thought his sketches more life like than the portraits. On the Anne sketches, I see why they weren’t included. The first sketch of Anne is the closest to what she might have looked like because of the portrait of Anne that you showed in a previous episode. ❤️ this space/channel. Luv history, glad that you are sharing with us. Thanks🇨🇦

[KimTpring]

I had the inexpressible joy of seeing Holbein's portrait of Jane Seymour when it toured Minneapolis. DaVinci and Holbein are my two top favorite artists. I love your lecture on Holbein!!!! Keep up the good work, Dr. Kat.

[kristenrock]

With Holbein's drawings you get a true taste of not only Tudor fashion, but the true likeness of these people who lived among Henry's court . His drawings seem like you said modern, as well as haunting to the us viewers .

[mcdonald]

Gosh wish I had you when I was in school. I am 70 and there is only one teacher I have never forgotten. English teacher who brought Shakespeare to life for me. Now there is you and your very talented presentation and knowledge. Carry on Dr. Kat

[jillymo]

Dr. Kat, as an amateur Tudor historian (it's my hobby 😁), I really love your videos! Just when I think I've learned enough about the Tudor period, you present information that is fresh to my ears, and my intellect could not be more grateful! Pertaining to this video, the drawings are so much more "alive" than the paintings, in my opinion. Something gets lost in the transition to canvas. The faces lose some of their detail and sometimes do not look as realistic as the drawings. Personally, I trust the drawings to be a truer representative of the appearance of each subject. I also agree with you about the two drawings supposedly of Anne Boleyn. They are not. Interestingly, Anne Boleyn and Mr. Holbein are two of my fantasy dinner party guests!

[mcbrineart]

As a painter & portrait artist, although I am obsessed with English history in general and Tudor history in particular, I am mostly obsessed with the portraits we have, especially those by Holbein.
To me this is the closest we will get to knowing what these people actually looked like, not some idealized image a lesser artist would portray.

I have always loved the drawings best as his drawings are better than his paintings. I believe these drawings were done mainly as reference to make the painting as they could be done fairly quickly and then the artist could trace or copy the photo onto the canvas to get started quickly on the piece. I once had the privilege to view a show of many of these drawings and I could see where the drawings had been traced over certain areas like the outline of the eyes, the line of the mouth and indications of the location of the nose and face shape.

When it comes to Anne, to my eye, both of those drawings are probably Anne. First of all, John Cheke was well aware of Anne's appearance. The eye colour that people assume is light & blue in the younger image may have changed with time, appeared lighter due to how the sitter was lit (even dark eyes can appear lighter when bright light shines on them) or a drawing decision to see more detail in the eye - as noted elsewhere here, sometimes drawings that appear to have light eyes, in the painting they are dark. Since the drawings are reference for the painting, and likely resided, put away, in a drawer or portfolio somewhere, not framed and hung, Henry would likely been unaware of their existence or location to destroy them.

Have you seen the Pinterest image where someone flipped the livelier drawing of Anne that is facing to the right and compared both ""Anne Bollein Queen" drawings in the collection side by side? The features are very similar and line up with the exception of the nose which is sharper in the younger image and could be accounted for by drawing differences, keeping in mind these are drawings not photographs! I mean, we all can look drastically different, depending on the angle of the shot, in photographs so think of differences that would happen in drawings done perhaps years apart. With age, pregnancy, weight gain there are changes in us all - eyebrows become more sparse and lighter, people may have more fullness under chin (but this is also accounted for with a string holding on the cap and the fact she is looking down) also.

The portrait medal, along with a cartoon sketch recently identified of Anne at her coronation are the only contemporary images we have. In both, she is wearing a gable hood and shows a long oval face and a distinctive mouth, full yet pursed, and some swelling under the chin and a shallow jaw/chin (does not project much). These features are in both drawings as well. There are some accounts that say she had a goiter (although by her enemies, so grain of salt needed) so this is possibly why she had this distinctive looking area just under the chin and upper throat.

By the way, I would love to hear your thoughts on the image I sent you on Twitter of Anne of Cleves and the portrait some historians have labeled to be Catherine Howard. I think they are both Anne of Cleves, based on the very similar features & face, especially those heavily lidded eyes. I drew a french hood over so it is easier to see how much these two images are alike. Keep in mind also, they are works of art, not photos! The painting by Holbein is flattering as it is the best angle for a prominent nose. The miniature to me does not represent a very young girl, rather a woman of at least her mid-twenties. I am convinced these are both Anne since all we know for sure about the miniature is that it was one of Henry's queens since she is wearing the same jewellery that Jane Seymour sported in her portrait. And, wouldn't it be more likely that a painting of Anne of Cleves would survive, from the same time period, rather than another executed queen?

[o_doris]

A school friend of mine bought me a book of Holbein's Tudor court drawings some years back :) Uh, I was transfixed by them! As you say, they make you feel so much more connected with these people of the past... Holbein was a marvellous artist. I really wish he'd been commissioned to paint a portrait of Elizabeth or Mary. Although, the portrait of Elizabeth as a young girl is very beautiful and Holbein-esque...

[finchlear]

Holbein is in a class all by himself. His work is breathtaking. Thanks for the videos Dr. Kat !!!