Portrait of the Day: Edward VI Anamorphic



King Edward VI
by William Scrots
1546
NPG 1299

Edwards VI’s anamorphic portrait was painted by William Scrots in 1546; it was the year before the prince acceded to the throne and he was only 9 years old.

Traditionally, it has been thought that this anamorphic portrait was painted by the artist as a way of showing off his artistic skills and the provide amusement for the young prince. Yet when seen from a conventional viewpoint the distorted portrait
of the prince with an elongated nose would seem a
highly disrespectful way to depict a future king.

This talk will explore how this anamorphic portrait
has two distinct views and how each view can be
interpreted to convey distinct representations of
Tudor nationhood.