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This piece is called Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the Younger. This painting was recently restored by The Louvre in Paris, allowing us to see Anne with the same vibrancy and detail that King Henry VIII first saw nearly 500 years ago. This portrait convinced him to marry her—a decision he’d soon regret.
Anne stands before a regal blue background. She’s dressed in a rich red velvet gown, embroidered with gold fabric and decorated with pearls and gemstones. The square neckline of her dress frames her necklaces—including a large black and gold cross and two gold chains and reveals a sheer, high-neck laced garment underneath.
She faces in our direction, letting us—letting Henry—see her clearly. Her hands are clasped in front of her, showing off her many expensive gold rings. Her hair is concealed beneath an ornate golden headdress dripping in pearls and gemstones, with a sheer linen cap that frames her face. Her heavy eyelids hang over her amber eyes, which look slightly down and off to the side. Her straight-on pose, paired with her averted gaze and calm expression, makes her seem present yet passive at the same time. And it looks like she might be smiling ever so slightly.
When Anne and Henry finally met in real life, he was disappointed and said she was very unnattractive. Despite the King’s reservations, calling the engagement off at this point would have risked England’s alliance with the Germans. Henry and Anne were married on January 6, 1540, making her his fourth queen.
Within months, Henry was plotting his escape, already eyeing Catherine Howard as his next queen.
Their marriage lasted just six months—the shortest of all Henry’s wives. Rejected and humiliated, Anne never returned home, forever labeled “The Ugly One.” But what if that’s exactly what made her The Lucky One?
By handling her annulment wisely, Anne walked away one of the richest women in England, earning a generous allowance and several estates. She remained close with Henry and his daughters, even advising the King on important matters.
Was Anne really as unattractive as Henry claimed? Did Holbein’s portrait mislead him? Let’s take a closer look.
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References & Further reading:
https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010062615
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-portrait-that-made-henry-viii-fall-in-love-with-anne-of-cleves-newly-restored-to-its-former-glory-180983987/
https://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/history-and-stories/anne-of-cleves/#gs.k3slf5
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309302851_Face-to-Face_with_the_'Flanders_Mare'_Fama_and_Hans_Holbein_the_Younger's_Portrait_of_Anne_of_Cleves_Gossip_and_Rumour_in_Early_Modern_Europe
https://www.jstor.org/stable/885027?utm_source=chatgpt.com
"The King's Painter: The Life of Hans Holbein" by Franny Moyle https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56969466-the-king-s-painter
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Darkest Child by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Divertissement by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/