HANS HOLBEIN THE YOUNGER (1497/8-1543)
Anne Boleyn (c.1500-1536)
c.1533-6RCIN 912189
This portrait, traditionally thought to represent Anne Boleyn, shows the sitter wearing an informal nightgown lined with fur, possibly the “black satin nightgown” given by Henry VIII to his future second wife during their courtship. Its appearance here is perhaps a deliberate indication of its significance and expense. The linen undercap, shaped with wire over the ears, is held in place by a band of linen, tied at the back. On formal occasions this would have been covered by a hood.
watermark: Briquet 11391, hand and crown [same as 12199]