Elizabeth I

Paintings of a younger Elizabeth I

Anne Boleyn - Mother of Elizabeth I

Coronation Painting of Elizabeth I

Henry VIII - father of Elizabeth I

Elizabethan embroidered book binding - (Katherine Parr's?)

This is just a teeny collection of Tudor and Elizabethan paintings of
Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I.  The paintings were usually 'propaganda' to show their regal strength, but I think there is always an insight into their characters and also ................. show their beautiful clothes and accessories.  I also love to try and spot the likenesses between them - just to see who they make take after!

Elizabethan Jewellery/Accessories

Cave Art - Chauvet, France.

These extraordinary cave paintings were discovered in 1994 in caves at Chauvet in the Ardeche region of France. The drawings are thought to be over 32,000 years old - the oldest ever found.

Eadgyth and Otto

This wonderful image is of Eadgyth and her husband the Holy Roman Emperor Otto I. Her remains are believed to be the oldest of the English royal family to have recently been discovered in Germany. She was an Anglo-Saxon princess, King Alfred's granddaughter and was given to Otto in marriage. She was also the sister of king Athelstan who became the first official King of all England in AD937. She died aged 36.

I just loved this image - and if you want some more details try this link.

The Tower (& Globe Theatre) along the Thames

The Tower

Entrance to Traitors Gate

The re-built Globe Theatre by courtesy of Sam Wanamaker

More of my photos from along The Thames

V&A Postcards

This is a man's theatrical costume - Gorgeous! -
(gold embroidery on velvet)
I think it could be worn now -
It's Italian and dated 1740-60.

This is an extended fan leaf with a view of the interior of a shop selling export wares.
It's possibly Dutch and dated 1680-1700

The costume and 'fan leaf' is at the Brit.Library's current Henry VIII exhibition.
These postcards are from exibits normally at the V&A.

Henry VIII - The British Library

Went to a wonderful exhibition today about Henry VIII - at the British Library. The Library is well worth a visit. It's a very 'user-friendly' - place.

I'm very interested in historical portraits, many of which, in this exhibition, hadn't been seen before, and almost like looking through a family's photo album - you can put a face to Henry's parents, siblings, his wives, of course - and many other important personages in this period. (You can also check on family resemblances!)

There are love letters from Henry to Anne Boleyn and many historical documents and artefacts to browse. Politically this was not an easy time in which to live, with strong religious differences from north to south, but my interest lay in the creative side of their lives and I found the costume detail in the paintings just as fascinating as the actual history.

Catherine of Aragon - divorced - (but not according to some!)
Mother of Queen Mary Tudor (Bloody Mary).
Catherine was married to Henry for 24 yrs.

Anne Boleyn - married - (but not according to others!) - beheaded (poor thing) - Mother of Queen Elizabeth I

Jane Seymour - bore him the son Henry wanted, Edward, but she died shortly after the prince was born.

Anne of Cleves - Henry didn't like her one bit and kindly set her up in another palace -
a goodlie distance away!

Kathryn Howard - was rather flirty - beheaded too.

Katherine Parr - she seemed to give him some stability and outlived him.

More info. on The Wives
Elizabethan Embroidery link 1.
Elizabethan Embroidery Link 2.