First Previous 1 OF 12 NextLast

Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard

1 of 12 portraits of Catherine Howard

© National Portrait Gallery, London

6 Likes voting
is closed

Thanks for Liking

Please Like other favourites!
If they inspire you please support our work.

Buy a print Buy a greetings card Make a donation

Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard

after Hans Holbein the Younger
oil on panel, late 17th century
29 in. x 19 1/2 in. (737 mm x 495 mm)
Purchased, 1898
Primary Collection
NPG 1119

Sitterback to top

  • Catherine Howard (circa 1518-1542), Fifth Queen Consort of Henry VIII. Sitter associated with 12 portraits.

Artistback to top

  • Hans Holbein the Younger (1497 or 1498-1543), Painter, printmaker and designer; son of Hans Holbein the Elder. Artist or producer associated with 310 portraits, Sitter associated with 25 portraits.

This portraitback to top

This portrait was previously identified as Catherine Howard, fifth wife of Henry VIII. The sitter is now thought to be a member of the Cromwell family, perhaps Elizabeth Seymour (c.1518–1568), sister of Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, and wife of Thomas Cromwell’s son Gregory.
Based on a three-quarter length portrait by Hans Holbein the Younger (now in the Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio), technical analysis has dated this wooden panel to the late seventeenth century. The sitter's gold medallion shows the flight of Lot and his family from Sodom (Genesis 19) and was designed by Holbein; the drawing survives in the British Museum.

Related worksback to top

  • NPG D48134: Unknown woman, formerly known as Catherine Howard (source portrait)

Linked publicationsback to top

Subjects & Themesback to top

Events of 1670back to top

Current affairs

Charles II mistress, Barbara Villiers, is created Duchess of Cleveland and granted Nonsuch Palace including its sizeable grounds.
Actress and royal mistress, Nell Gwyn, gives birth to Charles II's son, Charles, who would later become, Duke of St. Albans.

Art and science

Tragicomedy, The Forc'd Marriage, by Aphra Behn, staged by the Duke's Company, starts Behn's career as a professional writer. The writer may have been a royalist spy towards the end of the interregnum.
Poet laureate, John Dryden, is made historiographer royal, a post he would hold for nearly 20 years.

International

Terms of a secret treaty between Charles II and Louis XIV are brought by Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans during a visit to Dover; upon England supplying the majority of military power for a war against Holland and Charles's official conversion to Catholicism, France would assist financially.

Tell us more back to top

Can you tell us more about this portrait? Spotted an error, information that is missing (a sitter’s life dates, occupation or family relationships, or a date of portrait for example) or do you know anything that we don't know? If you have information to share please complete the form below.

If you require information from us, please use our Archive enquiry service. You can buy a print of most illustrated portraits. Select the portrait of interest to you, then look out for a Buy a Print button. Prices start at £6 for unframed prints, £25 for framed prints. If you wish to license this image, please use our Rights and Images service.

Please note that we cannot provide valuations.

We digitise over 8,000 portraits a year and we cannot guarantee being able to digitise images that are not already scheduled.

Howard Jones

05 May 2016, 16:36

I know that curators can be reluctant to change the names on the Museum's portraits but in this instance as the sitter is Catherine Howard the original name should be restored.
The right hand corner of her mouth is odd twisting both up and down at the same time. The same feature was shown by Holbein in the Windsor miniature of Queen Catherine.
A series of paintings called Anne Boleyn were based on the Weston Park drawing of Catherine by Holbein.
Some of the engravings showing Catherine are very similar to earlier engravings of Anne Boleyn and have caused confusion. The pictures in which the dresses appear to be studded with jewels date from the time of Catherine as shown in her Holbein miniature at Windsor.

Howard Jones

12 December 2015, 16:22

This Lady is Catherine Howard. I have sent some information to the Toledo Museum which hopefully should be sufficient to confirm that the original Toledo portrait was and is Holbein's painting of Queen Catherine. I hope to hear back from the Museum soon. If they agree to re-identify this Lady as Henry's fifth wife iI will let you k now.

What can you tell us?close

There are occasions when we are unsure of the identity of a sitter or artist, their life dates, occupation or have not recorded their family relationships. Sometimes we have not recorded the date of a portrait. Do you have specialist knowledge or a particular interest about any aspect of the portrait or sitter or artist that you can share with us? We would welcome any information that adds to and enhances our information and understanding about a particular portrait, sitter or artist.

Citationclose

How do you know this? Please could you let us know your source of information.

* Permission to publish (Privacy information)
Privacy Informationclose

The National Portrait Gallery will NOT use your information to contact you or store for any other purpose than to investigate or display your contribution. By ticking permission to publish you are indicating your agreement for your contribution to be shown on this collection item page. Please note your email address will not be displayed on the page nor will it be used for any marketing material or promotion of any kind.

Please ensure your comments are relevant and appropriate. Your contributions must be polite and with no intention of causing trouble. All contributions are moderated.

Your Emailclose

Contributions are moderated. We'll need your email address so that we can follow up on the information provided and contact you to let you know when your contribution has been published.