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Houbraken, Jacob; Holbein, Hans (after)
Ann Bullen, Queen of King Henry VIII Ann Bullen, reine du roi Henri VIII
1738 1738

Anne Boleyn (around 1501–1536) secretly married King Henry VIII in 1532, becoming his second queen. Boleyn was described as having a long neck, wide mouth and beautiful eyes, features that come to the fore in Jacobus Houbraken’s engraving. In 1536, Boleyn was found guilty of high treason and beheaded at the Tower of London. Houbraken alludes to her historic fate through decorative elements at the bottom of the print: a putto covers the Queen’s head and the execution axe.

Houbraken, Jacob; Holbein, Hans (after)
Dordrecht, Netherlands 1698-Amsterdam, Netherlands 1780; Augsburg, Germany 1497/1498-London, England 1543 Dordrecht, Netherlands 1698-Amsterdam, Netherlands 1780; Augsburg, Germany 1497/1498-London, England 1543
Ann Bullen, Queen of King Henry VIII Ann Bullen, reine du roi Henri VIII
1738 1738
Engraving on paper Gravure
height / width: 52.90 x 35.60 cm; 20.83 x 14.02 in.
Bequest of Adam Shortt, 1969 Legs d'Adam Shortt, 1969
12-047.063

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