Portrait for Henry VIII of Anne of Cleves ‘was attempt to warn king’ of plain truth
AN ANNE OF CLEVES portrait sent allegedly to woo Henry VIII was actually a warning that she was “a bit vanilla”, a biographer of Hans Holbein has claimed.
Henry VIII had commissioned Hans Holbein, a German painter serving in the king’s court, to bring back a likeness of his intended bride, after earlier attempts from the monarch to deduce what she looked like had failed. Courtiers and envoys returning from Anne’s residence in Germany said her face had been covered with a veil and guards blocked their attempts to get closer.
In the spring of 1539, Holbein secured an audience with Anne and carried out an “extremely unusual” full-face portrait of the 23-year-old. Henry VIII is said to have become besotted with Anne’s likeness with Thomas Cromwell, his chief minister, signing a treaty for the pair’s marriage in October that year.
However, it has now emerged that Holbein may have intended for the portrait to be a coded warning to Henry VIII, signalling that “she lacks dimension and is a little flat”. Franny Moyle, whose recent biography charts the life and death of Hans Holbein the Younger, said the full-face portrait, rather than a usual three-quarter profile, of Anne, was a subtle reference to the Virgin Mary, who is most commonly presented in this way.
“But I also think it’s a warning, because this is a woman, I think Holbein is saying, who lacks dimension,” Ms Moyle said. “She’s a little flat, she’s a bit vanilla. And that was supported by the words from the diplomat, who pointed out she couldn’t dance, she couldn’t play an instrument – the things that Henry really rated in women.
“There was just a really strong political need at this moment in time for Henry to have a political wife rather than just another Englishwoman.”
The bland expression of Anne, whose portrait is displayed at the Louvre, may also have indicated a lack of a sense of humour, Ms Moyle said.
When Henry VIII finally met his intended bride when she arrived in England, he was supposedly disgusted with her appearance. Despite the best efforts of Cromwell to arrange for Anne to be sent back home, the marriage went ahead on Dec 27 1539.
It was an unhappy affair, with Henry VIII failing to consummate the marriage. The marriage was annulled after six months.