Common questions about Portrait of Thomas Cromwell

Short answers, pulled from the story.

Who painted the Portrait of Thomas Cromwell and when was it created?

Hans Holbein the Younger painted the Portrait of Thomas Cromwell between 1532 and 1534. The original panel is lost, likely destroyed or sold shortly after Cromwell's execution on the 28th of July 1540.

What is the significance of the Book of Hours discovered in 2023?

Researchers at Hever Castle discovered a copy of Thomas Cromwell's Book of Hours in the Wren Library at Trinity College, Cambridge in 2023. This edition was printed in Paris by Gilles and Germain Hardouyn in 1527 and highlights Cromwell's personal piety and role in the English Reformation.

Where are the surviving copies of the Portrait of Thomas Cromwell located?

Three copies of the Portrait of Thomas Cromwell survive, including the Frick Collection version in New York and an early seventeenth-century version in the National Portrait Gallery in London. A third copy exists in the Chichester Constable collection in Yorkshire.

Why was Thomas Cromwell executed on the 28th of July 1540?

Thomas Cromwell was executed on the 28th of July 1540 after advising Henry VIII to marry Anne of Cleves. This move was unpopular and afforded his enemies the chance to bring charges of treason, leading to his arrest and beheading.

How has the legacy of Thomas Cromwell changed since the 1960s?

The legacy of Thomas Cromwell was reshaped in the 1960s from that of a monster to that of a highly capable statesman. This transformation continues to shape modern understanding of his life and work as a reformer and political operator.