Just to let you know that Eduard Cibot’s beautiful painting of “Anne Boleyn at the Tower of London shortly after her arrest” (1835) is on display at the National Gallery as part of their Delaroche and Lady Jane Grey Exhibition.
What on earth is a painting of Anne Boleyn doing at a Delaroche and Lady Jane Grey exhibition? Well, it is because Cibot was inspired by Delaroche’s portrayal of Lady Jane Grey’s execution in his famous painting. Tamise has written about her visit to the National Gallery Lady Jane Grey exhibition on her Lady Jane Grey blog at http://ladyjanegreyref.livejournal.com/45293.html
Another Anne Boleyn exhibit is at the Victoria and Albert Museum (the V&A) as part of their Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill exhibition running from now until the 4th July 2010.
Walpole was a famous 18th century collector who had a huge collection of British and European historical pieces. The piece that will be of particular interest to Anne Boleyn fans is the silver gilt clock which was given to Anne Boleyn by Henry VIII. The clock features “DIEU ET MON DROIT” inscribed on one of the weights, as well as Anne’s motto “The Most Happye” and the initial H and A intertwined in a lover’s knot. The richly decorated clock also features fleurs de lys, miniature heads and a lion bearing the arms of England.
You can see a photo of it at http://images.library.yale.edu/strawberryhill/oneitem.asp?id=74, but here is an engraving of it, and you can find out details about the Horace Walpole and Strawberry Hill exhibition at http://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/furniture/walpole/
Thanks to all those who email me with Anne Boleyn and Tudor news, I really appreciate it.
