Beneath A Famous Anne Boleyn Portrait, A Hidden Rebuttal To Rumors
Summary
A recent scientific analysis of the Anne Boleyn portrait Hever Rose suggests the artist may have intentionally crafted a political statement to safeguard the queen's legacy, highlighting the intersection of art and history in preserving royal narratives.
Key Insights
What specific rumor about Anne Boleyn was the Hever Rose portrait designed to counter?
The portrait was created to refute claims made by Catholic polemicist Nicholas Sander that Anne Boleyn possessed a sixth finger on her right hand. Sander's 1585 polemic, 'Rise and Growth of the Anglican Schism,' portrayed Anne as a witch with physical deformities including a goiter, a projecting tooth, and the extra digit. By deliberately depicting Anne's hands with five clearly visible fingers on each hand, the artist created a visual defense against these damaging accusations, which also served to protect the legitimacy of her daughter, Queen Elizabeth I.
How did scientists discover that the portrait was deliberately altered to show Anne's hands?
Researchers from the Hamilton Kerr Institute used infrared reflectography—a scientific imaging technique—to examine the Hever Rose portrait. This analysis revealed a discarded triangular form beneath Anne's right arm, which recorded the moment when the Elizabethan artist deliberately abandoned the standardized 'B' portrait pattern traditionally used to depict Anne Boleyn. This discovery showed that the artist intentionally reworked the composition to prominently display Anne's hands holding a red rose, a significant departure from other versions of the portrait that showed only her furred sleeves.