Portrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the YoungerPortrait of Anne of Cleves by Hans Holbein the Younger
Anne of Cleves, a 16th-century German princess
This stony-faced woman looking out at us from an abstract blue background is 16th-century German princess Anne of Cleves (1515–1557). Her portrait was painted by Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/98–1543), one of the greatest German painters of the Renaissance period, who would become the official painter to the King of England, Henry VIII (1491–1547).
In search of a new queen of England
King Henry VIII is infamous for visiting misfortune upon several of his six wives. In 1539, the widowed king sent his official painter Hans Holbein to the Holy Roman Empire's Düren castle, tasking him with painting portraits of the Cleves princesses, Anne and Amalia, one of whom he was considering as a potential wife. Henry VIII chose Anne. Their wedding took place on 6th January 1540, but the young queen was repudiated a few months later.
Is the Louvre's painting the one Holbein created while looking at the princess in Düren? Due to the material on which it is painted – soft, easily-transportable parchment – this was long believed to be the case. However, the work was more likely painted from a sketch upon Holbein’s return to his London workshop.
A painting restored and rediscovered
In 2021, the Louvre's Department of Paintings decided to restore the work. The painting was darkened and discoloured by the layers of varnish applied over time, making its details and colours indistinct. The conservation treatment was carried out at the Centre for Research and Restoration of the Museums of France (C2RMF). The C2RMF’s scientific research aids and guides restorers – in this case, Annie Hochart-Giacobbi and Jim Poncelet, whose efforts revealed the extraordinary vibrancy of Holbein the Younger’s masterpiece.
Telling details
’A BON FINE’ – a motto frequently found on bridal attire in celebratory double portraits – appears on the headband worn by the princess. On the right, a brooch on her headdress shows a betrothed couple facing each other. All these details allude to the marriage between Anne and Henry VIII.
