Post by hi224 on Jan 14, 2021 17:36:54 GMT
Anne Boleyn, in her dark headpiece and iconic 'B' necklace, is among the most recognizable Tudor images. In reality, this portrait, likely painted decades after her death, may be completely inaccurate. But why is Anne's true appearance lost to history?
Life:
I assume that most people reading this are at least somewhat familiar with the life of Anne Boleyn, so I’ll be brief. Born a nobleman's daughter, Anne spent time in France and the Netherlands before returning to England and serving as a lady-in-waiting for Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII. Lively and witty, Anne was a stark contrast to the pious Catherine, and she quickly charmed Henry. After several years and lots of trouble, Henry divorced Catherine and married Anne, to the shock and consternation of all. Anne was immensely unpopular, and after she failed to give Henry a son, his love for her began to fade. Eventually, eager to be rid of her, Henry had Anne arrested and sent to the Tower of London on a variety of almost certainly false charges, including adultery, incest, and treason. On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Henry was betrothed to his next wife by the day after, and they wed ten days later.
Descriptions:
Today, though no definitive portraits of Anne exist, we have a rough idea of what she might have looked like. Unfortunately, this is somewhat complicated by the number of contrasting accounts, especially those that have developed in later years.
We know for certain that Anne was slim, with dark, straight hair, and dark eyes. She had a prominent nose, a wide mouth, and olive skin. Interestingly, however, far from the way she’s usually depicted in modern adaptations, as an alluring temptress, many did not consider her a great beauty by the standards of the time, which favored pale plump blondes. Though some described her as “beautiful and with an elegant figure” or “the fairest and most bewitching of all the lovely dames of the French court,” others called her only “reasonably good looking” or even “not one of the handsomest women in the world.” Anne’s greatest source of attraction was her intelligence, grace, and sharp tongue; one courtier said as much, writing that “albeit in beauty she was to many inferior, but for behaviours, manners, attire and tongue she excelled them all.”
After Anne’s execution, however, descriptions began to change. If she had been despised in life, she was even more so in death, even with the ascension of her daughter Elizabeth to the throne; one writer half a century later wrote she had “an oval face of sallow complexion, as if troubled with jaundice. She had a projecting tooth… and on her right hand, six fingers… There was a large wen on her chin.” Though this description is considered wildly unreliable, not for the least of which because it was written by a Catholic propagandist, it soon became the standard description for Anne. Several of these features were considered markedly undesirable, beyond their attractiveness; a mole on the chin, for example, was considered a prediction of a violent death, and one on the left side of the mouth meant vanity and pride. Dark red hair, as Anne likely had, meant a predisposition to witchcraft. Several incredibly unflattering portraits emerged from this time, almost all of which are likely completely inaccurate. This is my personal favorite, and is believed to have been badly painted purposefully.
Is Anne a dark-eyed beauty, a sallow hag, or something in between? Her true appearance should be quite easy to ascertain; it was, after all, a time when most nobles had any number of portraits (even if many were just a tad more flattering than they should be). But where are Anne’s portraits?
Destruction & Remaining Portraits:
Details are scarce on exactly how he went about it, but soon after Anne’s death, Henry seems to have begun a systematic removal of all known portraits of Anne. Henry’s effectiveness was incredible; at this time, it was common to display portraits of monarchs, and copies were often given to favored courtiers and diplomats, and that none survive of Anne is extraordinary. Those that escaped Henry were likely destroyed to avoid possessing the image of a traitor. Exactly how many portraits were destroyed remains unknown, but no uncontested contemporary portraits survive today. That’s not to say that no depictions of Anne survive, but the problem lies in identification.
The only known contemporary image is considered to be a medal labeled “Moost Happi Anno 1534,” a prototype of a larger medal that was commissioned for the birth of her son. Unfortunately, she miscarried and the medal was hidden away. In addition to its small size, it’s incredibly damaged and shows only the rough contours of Anne’s face. Although a reconstruction was created, its accuracy is questioned.
One other contemporary depiction of Anne may exist, but it’s among the most disputed of her portrayals; Hans Holbein, a German painter, was under Anne’s patronage for several years and was commissioned to create several pieces for her. Among his works are chalk portraits that have been associated with Anne. The first and more likely is inscribed with “Anna Bollein Queen.” The drawing bears a resemblance to some of Anne’s alleged features, but many have pointed to the simple dress—unheard of for royals, especially one as fashionable as Anne—and apparent blonde hair. Others, however, point to the preliminary nature of the sketch, which would have been a preparatory piece for a portrait as an explanation for the clothing and contradictory details. The sketch might also be of Mary Boleyn or Mary Shelton. Another sketch of his may also have been of Anne, but whether these are portraits of the same woman is subject to some debate. The second sketch bears the inscription “Anne Bullen was beheaded, London 19 May, 1536.” Unfortunately, both inscriptions were made long after the drawings were made, another mark against the possibility of them as a likeness of Anne.
Among the disputed portraits of Anne, undoubtedly the most famous is by an unknown artist; here, Anne is painted with features softer than she likely had, and with her famous ‘B’ necklace. This portrait is from long after Anne’s death, likely sometime in the late 1500s, and was purchased by the National Portrait Gallery of England in the late 1800s. It’s generally believed that this portrait is a reproduction of one of the destroyed portraits of Anne, and it bears a resemblance to several other unconfirmed portraits, which corroborates its authenticity. Some historians believe that these copies may have been based on a lost painting by Holbein.
In addition to portraits, several miniatures depicting Anne have also been proposed, though none have been confirmed other than the Moost Happi medal, and most are too small for identifying details as well as being of dubious providence. The most reliable is one ostensibly painted from an “owlde picture” at the behest of Charles I. Another, part of a locket ring commissioned by Elizabeth I long after Anne’s death, may also be an accurate representation of Anne.
Much of the trouble in identifying authentic portraits of Anne comes from the surge in popularity after her daughter took the throne. Suddenly, Anne was favored again, and “portraits” began to spring up everywhere; One such painting, referred to as the Nidd Hall portrait, features the ‘B’ necklace of Anne but bears little resemblance to Anne and a striking resemblance to Jane Seymour (right), Henry’s third wife, leading most to conclude that the iconic ‘B’ was added later, replacing a more traditional square gem. There were a large number of Jane Seymour likenesses at the time, and a very small number of Anne Boleyn likenesses—some historians believe, therefore, that many portraits of Jane Seymour were edited and presented as authentic depictions of Anne. Others were likely painted based on the face of Elizabeth. Further complications come from the number of portraits thought to be of Anne that are really of her sister, Mary.
Final Thoughts & Questions:
Today, the search for Anne is ongoing. With such a small chance of finding any surviving portraits, the real question lies in determining which of the later portraits are accurate, and whether they’re based on earlier, destroyed portraits. Maddeningly, a full-length portrait of Anne, painted in 1590 at the latest, was known to exist until at least 1773, when it vanished from history completely, its fate unknown. Though some optimistically think it was sold into a private collection, it is more likely that it was destroyed or painted over. Another, more final, mystery about Anne also exists; originally buried in an unmarked grave, Anne’s body is believed to have been found in 1876—but many remain unconvinced that the skeleton found is that of Anne Boleyn, leaving her final resting place unknown.
What did Anne look like? Is much of our perception of her shaped by slander?
How many authentic depictions of Anne remain?
Which of the possible portraits of Anne are accurate?
Does Anne’s appearance truly matter in the end, or, as some have pointed out, is it another symptom of our preoccupation with women’s looks?
Sources:
onthetudortrail.com/Blog/anne-boleyn/anne-boleyns-appearance-demeanour/
thecreationofanneboleyn.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/the-anne-boleyn-myth-buster-1/
www.tudorsociety.com/anne-boleyns-appearance-does-it-really-matter-by-conor-byrne/
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/anne-boleyn-portraits-which-is-the-true-face-of-anne-boleyn/#:~:text=The%20problem%20with%20portraits%20of,painted%20during%20Elizabeth%20I's%20reign.
onthetudortrail.com/Blog/2011/02/07/would-the-real-anne-boleyn-please-come-forward/
under-these-restless-skies.blogspot.com/2014/05/erasing-anne-boleyn-from-history.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Boleyn#The_Netherlands_and_France
This is my first time using imgur, so please tell me if any of the links don’t work.
Life:
I assume that most people reading this are at least somewhat familiar with the life of Anne Boleyn, so I’ll be brief. Born a nobleman's daughter, Anne spent time in France and the Netherlands before returning to England and serving as a lady-in-waiting for Catherine of Aragon, the first wife of Henry VIII. Lively and witty, Anne was a stark contrast to the pious Catherine, and she quickly charmed Henry. After several years and lots of trouble, Henry divorced Catherine and married Anne, to the shock and consternation of all. Anne was immensely unpopular, and after she failed to give Henry a son, his love for her began to fade. Eventually, eager to be rid of her, Henry had Anne arrested and sent to the Tower of London on a variety of almost certainly false charges, including adultery, incest, and treason. On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Henry was betrothed to his next wife by the day after, and they wed ten days later.
Descriptions:
Today, though no definitive portraits of Anne exist, we have a rough idea of what she might have looked like. Unfortunately, this is somewhat complicated by the number of contrasting accounts, especially those that have developed in later years.
We know for certain that Anne was slim, with dark, straight hair, and dark eyes. She had a prominent nose, a wide mouth, and olive skin. Interestingly, however, far from the way she’s usually depicted in modern adaptations, as an alluring temptress, many did not consider her a great beauty by the standards of the time, which favored pale plump blondes. Though some described her as “beautiful and with an elegant figure” or “the fairest and most bewitching of all the lovely dames of the French court,” others called her only “reasonably good looking” or even “not one of the handsomest women in the world.” Anne’s greatest source of attraction was her intelligence, grace, and sharp tongue; one courtier said as much, writing that “albeit in beauty she was to many inferior, but for behaviours, manners, attire and tongue she excelled them all.”
After Anne’s execution, however, descriptions began to change. If she had been despised in life, she was even more so in death, even with the ascension of her daughter Elizabeth to the throne; one writer half a century later wrote she had “an oval face of sallow complexion, as if troubled with jaundice. She had a projecting tooth… and on her right hand, six fingers… There was a large wen on her chin.” Though this description is considered wildly unreliable, not for the least of which because it was written by a Catholic propagandist, it soon became the standard description for Anne. Several of these features were considered markedly undesirable, beyond their attractiveness; a mole on the chin, for example, was considered a prediction of a violent death, and one on the left side of the mouth meant vanity and pride. Dark red hair, as Anne likely had, meant a predisposition to witchcraft. Several incredibly unflattering portraits emerged from this time, almost all of which are likely completely inaccurate. This is my personal favorite, and is believed to have been badly painted purposefully.
Is Anne a dark-eyed beauty, a sallow hag, or something in between? Her true appearance should be quite easy to ascertain; it was, after all, a time when most nobles had any number of portraits (even if many were just a tad more flattering than they should be). But where are Anne’s portraits?
Destruction & Remaining Portraits:
Details are scarce on exactly how he went about it, but soon after Anne’s death, Henry seems to have begun a systematic removal of all known portraits of Anne. Henry’s effectiveness was incredible; at this time, it was common to display portraits of monarchs, and copies were often given to favored courtiers and diplomats, and that none survive of Anne is extraordinary. Those that escaped Henry were likely destroyed to avoid possessing the image of a traitor. Exactly how many portraits were destroyed remains unknown, but no uncontested contemporary portraits survive today. That’s not to say that no depictions of Anne survive, but the problem lies in identification.
The only known contemporary image is considered to be a medal labeled “Moost Happi Anno 1534,” a prototype of a larger medal that was commissioned for the birth of her son. Unfortunately, she miscarried and the medal was hidden away. In addition to its small size, it’s incredibly damaged and shows only the rough contours of Anne’s face. Although a reconstruction was created, its accuracy is questioned.
One other contemporary depiction of Anne may exist, but it’s among the most disputed of her portrayals; Hans Holbein, a German painter, was under Anne’s patronage for several years and was commissioned to create several pieces for her. Among his works are chalk portraits that have been associated with Anne. The first and more likely is inscribed with “Anna Bollein Queen.” The drawing bears a resemblance to some of Anne’s alleged features, but many have pointed to the simple dress—unheard of for royals, especially one as fashionable as Anne—and apparent blonde hair. Others, however, point to the preliminary nature of the sketch, which would have been a preparatory piece for a portrait as an explanation for the clothing and contradictory details. The sketch might also be of Mary Boleyn or Mary Shelton. Another sketch of his may also have been of Anne, but whether these are portraits of the same woman is subject to some debate. The second sketch bears the inscription “Anne Bullen was beheaded, London 19 May, 1536.” Unfortunately, both inscriptions were made long after the drawings were made, another mark against the possibility of them as a likeness of Anne.
Among the disputed portraits of Anne, undoubtedly the most famous is by an unknown artist; here, Anne is painted with features softer than she likely had, and with her famous ‘B’ necklace. This portrait is from long after Anne’s death, likely sometime in the late 1500s, and was purchased by the National Portrait Gallery of England in the late 1800s. It’s generally believed that this portrait is a reproduction of one of the destroyed portraits of Anne, and it bears a resemblance to several other unconfirmed portraits, which corroborates its authenticity. Some historians believe that these copies may have been based on a lost painting by Holbein.
In addition to portraits, several miniatures depicting Anne have also been proposed, though none have been confirmed other than the Moost Happi medal, and most are too small for identifying details as well as being of dubious providence. The most reliable is one ostensibly painted from an “owlde picture” at the behest of Charles I. Another, part of a locket ring commissioned by Elizabeth I long after Anne’s death, may also be an accurate representation of Anne.
Much of the trouble in identifying authentic portraits of Anne comes from the surge in popularity after her daughter took the throne. Suddenly, Anne was favored again, and “portraits” began to spring up everywhere; One such painting, referred to as the Nidd Hall portrait, features the ‘B’ necklace of Anne but bears little resemblance to Anne and a striking resemblance to Jane Seymour (right), Henry’s third wife, leading most to conclude that the iconic ‘B’ was added later, replacing a more traditional square gem. There were a large number of Jane Seymour likenesses at the time, and a very small number of Anne Boleyn likenesses—some historians believe, therefore, that many portraits of Jane Seymour were edited and presented as authentic depictions of Anne. Others were likely painted based on the face of Elizabeth. Further complications come from the number of portraits thought to be of Anne that are really of her sister, Mary.
Final Thoughts & Questions:
Today, the search for Anne is ongoing. With such a small chance of finding any surviving portraits, the real question lies in determining which of the later portraits are accurate, and whether they’re based on earlier, destroyed portraits. Maddeningly, a full-length portrait of Anne, painted in 1590 at the latest, was known to exist until at least 1773, when it vanished from history completely, its fate unknown. Though some optimistically think it was sold into a private collection, it is more likely that it was destroyed or painted over. Another, more final, mystery about Anne also exists; originally buried in an unmarked grave, Anne’s body is believed to have been found in 1876—but many remain unconvinced that the skeleton found is that of Anne Boleyn, leaving her final resting place unknown.
What did Anne look like? Is much of our perception of her shaped by slander?
How many authentic depictions of Anne remain?
Which of the possible portraits of Anne are accurate?
Does Anne’s appearance truly matter in the end, or, as some have pointed out, is it another symptom of our preoccupation with women’s looks?
Sources:
onthetudortrail.com/Blog/anne-boleyn/anne-boleyns-appearance-demeanour/
thecreationofanneboleyn.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/the-anne-boleyn-myth-buster-1/
www.tudorsociety.com/anne-boleyns-appearance-does-it-really-matter-by-conor-byrne/
www.theanneboleynfiles.com/anne-boleyn-portraits-which-is-the-true-face-of-anne-boleyn/#:~:text=The%20problem%20with%20portraits%20of,painted%20during%20Elizabeth%20I's%20reign.
onthetudortrail.com/Blog/2011/02/07/would-the-real-anne-boleyn-please-come-forward/
under-these-restless-skies.blogspot.com/2014/05/erasing-anne-boleyn-from-history.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Boleyn#The_Netherlands_and_France
This is my first time using imgur, so please tell me if any of the links don’t work.