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portrait anne boleyn held by national portrait gallery Probably drawn to show the major similarities between Henry VII‘s second wife and their daughter, who later became Elizabeth I.
Researchers say the painting, painted in 1584, nearly 50 years after Boleyn’s execution, was specifically drawn to resemble key features of Elizabeth I to help give Elizabeth additional legitimacy as monarch.
“It’s definitely a portrait anne boleynthis is the artist’s intention. But it’s more important than her portrait because of its political impact,” said Dr Owen Emerson, co-curator of the new exhibition at Hever Castle, the Boleyn family’s ancestral home.
“It was a very deliberate act and it wasn’t done as an afterthought. It was commissioned that way – there was intention here. It was purposeful.”
“If you look at the context in which it was created, this was really a key moment in Elizabeth’s reign. This was largely because of the many Catholic conspiracies that threatened her rule and she was under increasing pressure,” he told independent.
“She was excommunicated, so the pope allowed her subjects to challenge and overthrow her, and the situation was complicated by the fact that she was no longer of childbearing age and unmarried…so she couldn’t look to the future to bolster her legitimacy.”
He said that at this time, a pattern emerged in several portraits of Anne Boleyn in which she looked particularly like her daughter, which Dr Emerson believed was a shrewd move “to promote her legitimacy by looking to the past to try and solidify her claim to the throne”.
“It’s a smart approach,” he said. The reason she needed to look like her ancestors was because her mother was executed for treason and adultery – widely rumored [Elizabeth] Not Henry VIII’s daughter, so in retrospect she looks Tudor. “
Even though it has been decades since her mother died, Elizabeth I is still keen to use the image as a form of propaganda as she faces growing concerns about her hold on the throne.
“This was not a well-orchestrated effort,” Dr. Emerson said. “Anne Boleyn wasn’t supposed to look like a Tudor – she married a Tudor – but that’s not the point. It was a very visual way of showing Elizabeth’s legitimacy.”
He said the painting was likely commissioned by one of her courtiers for public display as a show of loyalty to Elizabeth. “It’s a very bold way to assert her legitimacy,” he said.
In the 16th century, literacy rates were low, so society was particularly driven by visual language – “many images were conveyed through portraiture”.
“These products are not cheap to produce; they are quite expensive.”
The individual artist who painted the 1584 painting is recognized for his unique approach to pearl painting.
Art historian Lawrence Hendra, who worked for gallerist and television presenter Philip Mould, identified several paintings by the same artist, largely due to their painterly treatment of pearls, and they became known as “pearl painters” rather than by name.
Mr Hendra drew Dr Emerson’s attention to the artist’s paintings, including those of Anne Boleyn and Catherine of Aragon, which were also held at Hever Castle. This was the first time Dr. Emerson discovered the resemblance between mother and daughter in the painting.
Dr. Emerson’s new book, Capturing the Queen: The Image of Anne Boleynco-authored with Kate McCaffrey, Assistant Curator at Hever Castle.
Hever Castle will host the eponymous exhibition on 11 February 2026, showcasing the largest collection of art and artefacts related to Anne Boleyn ever to be displayed in one place.