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9:01 am
July 9, 2009
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I randomly came across this painting and was struck by the resemblance of the bride in the top right (I assume she’s the bride since she’s the best dressed, but regardless, the woman in coral) to Katherine of Aragon. I just posted this question to the Q&A at tudorhistory.org but wanted to ask you guys as well. Do you think it’s meant to be her? I don’t know what year this was painted but the artist, Gerard David, was a contemporary of Katherine’s and the style of clothing seems very late 15th, perhaps early 16th century. Katherine was allegedly (alas, with so many things in Tudor history we will just never know for sure) painted as Mary Magdalene by Michael Sittow, so there is precedent for depicting her as a Biblical figure, and the bride in this painting looks a lot like Sittow’s portraits of Katherine. There is no information on Wikipedia about David ever leaving the Netherlands, but that doesn’t mean he never did. What do you Tudor scholars think?
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
5:26 pm
August 2, 2010
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Interesting, Melissa! I’ve never seen nor heard of this painting before, but the bride in the painting seems to share a lot of resemblence–fairly heavy face, long and wavy auburn hair, etc. I don’t know much about this and I think it would be very interesting if we could find out for sure, but it seems likely to me! Thanks for bringing this up.
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
7:58 pm
September 22, 2010
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Neither I have ever seen this painting…It is beautifull and so is the bride posing in it!She does bear a strong resemplance to Katherine!After all she filled the rennaissance beauty part well enough as her earlier portraits show!Actually she resembles Isabella and Juana of Castile a lot!I don’t know if that means anything!It might be one of them or this resemblance means that this is Katherine!
12:01 pm
February 24, 2010
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This is Isabella. Strong likeness to the painting. (hair down and all.) Looks similar to Katherine as well.
1:05 pm
July 9, 2009
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Hmmm. He painted Isabella so could have painted her daughter Katherine. The woman in the painting looks like Isabella/Juana/Katherine. I think it’s safe to say that if it’s not Katherine it is at least a relative of hers. What do you think?
Ainsi sera, groigne qui groigne.
4:02 pm
August 2, 2010
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I agree, Melissa: if it’s not Katherine it’s a relative. I just looked at portraits of Katherine, Juana, and Isabella, and to me the bride looks more like Katherine and Isabella (not by a lot but something in the face just seems more similar to them). I wonder if there’s a way we could find out?
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
6:11 pm
September 22, 2010
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Sharon said:
This is Isabella. Strong likeness to the painting. (hair down and all.) Looks similar to Katherine as well.
That was exactly the painting of Isabella I had in mind when I saw the painting in question!!!And if it is not her but one of her daughters(especially Katherine who looked a lot with her mother),still it would make sence because of their resemblance and the fact that they might have wanted to honor their mother or show their parentage(because it seems like a referance to the one featuring Isabella),I think,when it is examined about when it was painted,it would seem obvious which woman posed for it
4:40 pm
August 2, 2010
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You’re right, Anne: once examined I’m sure the exact woman can be determined. Just guessing, I’d say Isabella was most likely, then Katherine, then Juana. What does everyone think?
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
7:13 am
September 22, 2010
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Based on their paintings I agree that she resembles Isabella and Katherine more.If I recall correctly,Juana had a thinner face and not so round.So Boleynfan,my rating as to who she is,is the same with yours:first Isabella,then Katherine and in the end Juana.But,correct me if I ‘m wrong,the fashions worn in the portrait aren’t they posterior to those Isabella might have worn in her youth?I am not sure,just asking
10:21 am
February 24, 2010
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The painting of Isabella (above) was attributed to Gerard David and/or someone of the Jan Mabuse circa 1520. Jan Mabuse was also known as Jan Gossaert or Jan Van Hennegouwe. It is called ,The Lady of the Fly.
There is a painting Gossaert did called,The Adoration of the Kings in which the woman again looks like one of the three women. At least I think it does. I have been looking at these paintings too long. They all begin to look alike.
I’m not sure which woman it is in The Wedding at Cana, but the dress to me looks late 1400’s early 1500’s.
3:36 pm
August 2, 2010
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Anne and Sharon: I agree about the order of who the bride looks most like, Anne, but I also agree with you and Sharon in that the dress looks a little late for Isabella. That makes it seem more likely that it is Katherine, although I think there’s the chance that the artist’s dress was not authentic (artists tend to do that sometimes in history).
"Grumble all you like, this is how it's going to be"
9:45 pm
August 12, 2009
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I’ve found another Gerard David painting with a woman who resembles Katharine. It’s dated 1509, and is titled The Virgin Among the Virgins. And 1509 was when Henry inherited the throne, married her, and she was crowned Queen, so it’s not outside the realm of possibility that this was done in honor of the new queen.
"Don't knock at death's door.
Ring the bell and run. He hates that."
10:37 am
February 24, 2010
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Oh good. I saw that one too, but as I said I had been looking at those paintings for so long, I thought I saw Katherine, Isabella, or Jauna in all of them. Now I think they are in many of those paintings. What happened to the paintings I put up? Since the first painting, the girl holding the book in her lap, called “Our Lady of the Fly,” was supposed to be Isabella painted in 1520, and the dress looks later than her time, I agree with Boleynfan. The artist used his artistic license and painted her in more modern dress.
10:52 am
February 24, 2010
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I love this painting. It is Isabella. She is stunning.
I
10:54 am
February 24, 2010
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Okay nevermind. It's not working. Darnit!
1:51 pm
August 12, 2009
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My picture disappeared, too!
"Don't knock at death's door.
Ring the bell and run. He hates that."
8:41 am
February 16, 2009
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I can see your pictures, Sharon and Impish! 
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
8:44 am
February 16, 2009
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Melissa,
That is a beautiful painting and you're right, the bride does bear a striking similarity to Catherine or to Isabella. How interesting!
Debunking the myths about Anne Boleyn
9:08 am
February 24, 2010
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Claire, The pictures are not showing up for me. Isn't that picture of Isabella stunning. She must have been a real beauty.
4:00 pm
June 5, 2010
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I'm just now finding this thread. Is this the painting you all were originally referring to as none of the entries on this thread are showing up? I did a Google search of the artist's name and a slew of paintings came up so I thought I'd check it out. Also saw the one called The Virgin Among the Virgins and it is absolutely gorgeous.
If that's not the right picture, could someone try posting the full link again (or do a tiny url so a lot of it doesn't get cut out)? You have my curiosity up now 🙂
Henry: Mistress Anne, will you teach the king of England how they dance in the French court?
Anne: There is nothing that France can teach England, your majesty.
King Henry VIII: Well said. Well said.
– Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
