A portrait of Katherine Parr, the last of King Henry VIII’s six wives, fetched an impressive £3,436,000 ($4,368,000), including premiums, at the evening auction of old paintings and the 19th century from Sotheby’s London on July 5, marking a moment of excitement for history. paint. Although not the highest paying lot of the evening, the final sale price exceeded its high estimate (£800,000 or $1,015,000) by more than 400%, making it by far the widest margin.
Katherine Parr was Queen of England – the first to also be named Queen of Ireland, after the title was adopted by King Henry VIII – from her marriage to Henry in 1543 until her death in 1547. She was the last queen consort of the House of Tudor and outlived Henry by almost two years. With four husbands, two before the king and one after, she continues to be the most married English queen.
A visitor looks at a painting attributed to Master John, Portrait of Katherine Parr (1512-1548), Queen of England and Ireland, during a preview at Sotheby’s London for the evening auction of old and 19th century paintings. (Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Attributed to Maître Jean, this portrait was probably painted in 1547-1548, shortly after the king’s death, when her role became queen dowager rather than queen consort. His position was solidified with an order from Henry that upon his death, Katherine be given the full respect of a Queen of England, as if he were still alive. The work is one of only two surviving portraits by Katherine Parr, the other being a full-length painting (circa 1545) in the National Portrait Gallery, London, also attributed to Master John.
Although it was thought to have been destroyed by fire, the portrait appeared almost 200 years after it was last auctioned, according to Sotheby’s. The most recent seller and owner is the estate of the Earl of Jersey, George Francis Child-Villiers, who died in 1998.
The painting has often been confused with others, including Queen Mary I and Lady Jane Grey. However, the Guardian can be correctly identified from the distinctive jewel on her chest, a gold and pearl brooch in the shape of a crown which is recorded in the inventories of Parr’s possessions.
As she is not one of the beheaded wives of King Henry VIII, Katherine Parr is often forgotten in the annals of English history. However, her extraordinary life is gaining attention with the recent release of the film. Brandon. Starring Jude Law and Alicia Vikander, the adaptation of the 2013 novel Queen’s Gambit by Elizabeth Fremantle premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year.
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