Gerlach Flicke; Henry Strangwish (or Strangways)

Sittersback to top

• Gerlach Flicke (active 1545-died 1558), Painter. Sitter in 1 portrait, Artist associated with 7 portraits.
• Henry Strangwish (or Strangways) (died 1562), Pirate. Sitter in 1 portrait.

Artistback to top

• Gerlach Flicke (active 1545-died 1558), Painter. Artist associated with 7 portraits, Sitter in 1 portrait.

This portraitback to top

Little is known about Flicke other than that he came from Osnabrück in Germany and that by 1545-6 he was working as a portrait painter in England. Henry Strangwish was a gentleman pirate from the West Country. This painting was produced when both men were in prison, probably the Tower of London. Strangwish was imprisoned for his piracy, but the nature of Flicke's crime is not known. The English inscription above Strangwish, shown holding a lute, reads: 'Strangwish, thus strangely depicted is One prisoner, for thother, hath done this/ Gerlin, hath garnisht, for his delight This woorck whiche you se, before youre sight'. The Latin inscription above Flicke, who is shown holding his palette, can be translated: 'Such was the face of Gerlach Flicke when he was a painter in the City of London. This he himself painted from a looking-glass for his dear friends. That they might have something by which to remember him after his death.' This is the earliest known oil self-portrait produced in England.

Linked publicationsback to top

• Tudor Portraits Resource Pack, p. 15
• Bond; Anthony; Woodall, Joanna, Self Portrait: Renaissance to Contemporary, 2005 (accompanying the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery from 20 October - 29 January 2006), p. 86
• Cooper, Tarnya; Fraser, Antonia (foreword), A Guide to Tudor and Jacobean Portraits, 2012, p. 42
• MacLeod, Catharine, Tudor Portraits in the National Portrait Gallery Collection, 1996, p. 15
• Rideal, Liz, Insights: Self-portraits, 2005, p. 46
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery: An Illustrated Guide, 2000, p. 37
• Saumarez Smith, Charles, The National Portrait Gallery, 1997, p. 37
• Saywell, David; Simon, Jacob, Complete Illustrated Catalogue, 2004, p. 222

Linked displays and exhibitionsback to top

• Self Portrait: Renaissance to Contemporary (20 October 2005 - 29 January 2006)

Portrait setback to top

• Miniatures: Highlights

Subjects & Themesback to top

• Double portraits
• Self-portraits
• Writing