Holbein at the Tudor Court

Fabulous exhibition at the King’s Gallery putting the Holbeins in the Royal Collection into context.

I loved the opening of the show with the “Noli Me Tangere”, which is not how we think of Holbein. It set the narrative that this wasn’t just about the portraits. 

The first gallery of the show took time to set the scene for his arrival in England pointing out that there were portraits at court before but how many arrived as gifts and tended to feature foreign royalty. I was moved to see the images of Catherine of Aragon’s parents, Ferdinand and Isabella, which surely must have come with her to England as a reminder of home.

The next room focused on Holbein’s work for courtiers with an emphasis on the preparatory drawings for portraits. It included one of the few examples where they had the drawing and painting. The sitter looked older in the painting. It was wonderful walking round looking at this group of people from nearly 500 years ago who would have known each other.

The final room looked at the royal portraits and how they were used. It also featured the painting of the Field of the Cloth of Gold shown at a nice height so you could look at all the details. I know it’s not by Holbein but it was a clever addition to the show. 

Closes 14 April 2024


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