Uneasy Is the Head That Wears a Crown: The Tudors, A Global Phenomenon

F rom  May to  August , the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool hosted an exhibition that brought its own impressive collection of Tudor art into dialogue with Tudor-related collections from across the United Kingdom, for instance at the National Portrait Gallery and the College of Arms in London, and continental Europe, for example at the Museo del Prado in Madrid. By combining these various collections, the exhibition reminds visitors that Tudor history was not connected to one specific place but had connections throughout England and wider Europe. As the curators highlight in the introduction to their catalogue, the exhibition is a milestone. Even though it includes well-known items, such as the portraits of Henry VIII (c. , NPG ) or Anne Boleyn (late sixteenth century, NPG ), the pairing of an early portrait of Catherine of Aragon (c. , NPG L) with the aforementioned portrait of Henry VIII, allows visitors to observe the King’s first love match in a way not previously possible. The joint display imitates historical practices of exhibiting portraits of the King and Queen together, to represent the couple as a united front, with Henry as England’s new king and Catherine as fertile queen. These and other such images would be commissioned and copied to present to courtiers as gifts. The exhibition strikes a commendable balance between well-known historical figures, such as Henry VIII’s chief minister, Thomas Cromwell (NPG ) and humanist scholar Thomas More (NPG ), and lesser-known people, such as Thomas Chaloner (–), English ambassador in the Spanish Netherlands, and John Astley (–), Elizabeth I’s Master of the Jewel House. The exhibition is thematically organised, but follows a chronological approach: it begins with the Tudor founders and ends with Elizabeth I. The exhibition approaches the Tudor dynasty as a global phenomenon with particularly strong ties to the European continent. The final section of the exhibition is divided into two parts and is probably one of its most engaging, since visitors can examine up close fully preserved Tudor gowns. One of these gowns has been inspired by Master John’s portrait of Catherine Parr (NPG ), the sixth queen consort of Henry VIII, while the other one is an impression of a dress that may have been worn by a lady in waiting. An accompanying video helpfully explains how the gowns may