Anne Boleyn Part One - Image

Anne Boleyn is instantly recognisable, and yet there is but one image of her in existence, which is only barely visible due to damage. So what did she look like? What did image mean to Anne, and how did she use her image to her Advantage? Many myths have arisen surrounding Anne's appearance which have confused the reality.

Category:

Entertainment

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• Anne
• Boleyn
• documentary
• Henry
• VIII
• Image
• Holbein
• Portrait
• Tudor
• Elizabeth
• Deformity
• Six
• Fingers
• Sanders
• Arms
• History
• painting
• history

[cubomania3]

Holbein did a drawing of Anne, I have it in a book published by Dover. There are also good portraits of her. They resemble each other. The guy talking in the video is rather lame....completely absurd to think an ugly,primitive coin is the best you can do to know what Anne looked like !

[TheBullen1]

@cubomania3 Thanks for your constructive criticism. I think the point that you are missing is that the only *contemporary* image of Anne in existence is the medal struck during her reign. All of the other portraits are posthumous. The NPG gallery series are, as I discuss, probably the most likely representation of what Anne looked like, but it is still important to remember that they are posthumous, and therefore the only image that dates from her lifetime is the medal.

[cubomania3]

What a STUPID comment by the dude in the video ! That ugly coin is certainly NOT the most true likeness of Anne ! I know that by sheer common sense. Do you know how hard it is to make metal scratchings look like the real person ?! Now don't you think that paintings and drawing would be much closer to the real likeness ?! Of course. And many of the fleeting images shown just before the guy made that ridiculous comment were not even of Anne !

[TheBullen1]

@cubomania3 thanks for yet another comment. I don't think you have quite comprehended that the fact that the portraits that you are so confident in are posthumous (i.e. painted AFTER Anne's death and making the coin the only image of Anne made whilst her head was still attached.) I think you should read some more... not just Dovers account... the historiography is extensive but fairly heavily weighted toward this thesis. Enjoy reading more about her... its kept me entertained for years.

[agora1955]

On this 19th of May 2011 I wish to say that you, dear Anne, are not forgotten.

I think of how you bravely, in the midst of blooming trees and birdsong, walked

to your execution with such fortitude. You were ill used by a selfish man who

hopefully got his just rewards for murdering you. You are my personal heroine.

[SteveBell1942]

@cubomania3 The Holbein drawing, although labelled as AB at a later date is not thought to be her. Anne was described as having a slim long neck and she herself referred to as such. The Holbein drawing of a woman with a double chin and short neck does not accord with contemporary descriptions. To cubomania - Clearly you don't listen well. The coin is the only CONTEMPORARY likeness. All the other portraits were made after her death.

[Annabolina1533]

Phillipa Gregory writes books about people she knows cant sue her, lol. Anne was not a shrew or manipulative, in actuality had Henry not refused her love match to Henry Percy, she would have lived longer and happier. She wouldn't become the kings mistress, to me that is pretty honorable and smart. She saw how her sister was used the discarded by the same man, she was protecting her intersts, unfortunatly she fell in love with him, and the rest is history.

[Annabolina1533]

It is documented historically that Jane contributed to Anne's downfall. Henry desperatly wanted a son, that is all. If Katherine of Aragon Or Anne Boleyn had fulfilled this then there would not have been a scandal and or a Jane. He wouldve been devoted to whoever gave him the longedfor prince. If the prince had been Anne's he would've lived past 15, but the Seymores were weak stock. Elizabeth 1 lived a long life, and is revered as one of the greatest queens to ever sit on the throne, WTG Anne!

[Annabolina1533]

@ureallysuckglobes

The song is Pastime in Good Company, Written by King Henry VIII. Old english spelling is, Pastyme in good Comanye. A good version of the song is sung by, The New World Reanissance Band.

[Annabolina1533]

Anne WAS executed with a sword, NOT an axe. Henry requested the finest swordsman from France, i think the swordsman of Calais to do the job, he felt he was being humane and she requested it.

[Annabolina1533]

Also the "medal" is 475 years old give or take a few years, so time has taken a toll on it, so yeah it would be distorted. They didn't have laser engraving in those days, a silversmith would have done it by hand. The way they can put the mystery to bed is if they get permisssion from the English Monarchy to exhume the remains of anne and have a forensic pathologist reconstruct her face. That would be so cool, but I doubt that will ever happen.

[Annabolina1533]

Lets put this argument to bed, NOW! After Anne's death, Henry had all or atleast 98% of Anne's portraits destroyed, So there were no surviving portraits from her life to go from, only reproductions made from accounts of her image and recollections of her previously destroid portraits. The "Medal" IS the only image in existance form her actual life. The man in the video was not saying that she looked EXACTLY like it, all he was saying was that it would be the best resource to trust.

[The0rdinary0ne]

Never heard of "beauty comes in hand with personality" ??

[MarieVonDoll]

@cubomania3 she couldn't have been far from those depictions, no matter how 'ugly' they might make her appear. she clearly had a face that was not interesting, flat traits and a long, thick nose. check out other royalties' paintings and see the difference- the most beautiful seems to be the countess of Pompadour, really strikingly beautiful even for the paintings of that era (i know Pompadour lived some 300 something years after anne, i am just sayin'..). she was NOT beautiful.