Question from Kerry - Portrait of Sir Francis Bryan
posted by Lara | 4:48 PM
I am a descendant of Sir Francis Bryan (1490-1550), boy-companion and courtier to Henry VIII. Sir Francis was the man who petitioned the Pope for Henry VIII's divorce from Catherine of Aragon, and he was also a cousin of Anne Boleyn. Bryan was a poet, author, cypherer, diplomat, soldier, and the closest confidante of the King. I am seeking a portrait of Sir Francis Bryan. He was painted by the famous court painter Hans Holbein, but the portrait has never been found. Does anyone have any idea where it may repose? He is distinguished by wearing an eye-patch, one eye having been put out in a jousting match.
2 Comments:
If Hans Holbein painted a portrait of Francis Bryan and that portrait still exists, it would be listed in the modern catalogue raisonne (inventory of works) for Holbein. Have you checked a local library for the lastest version of the Holbein catalogue? Holbein is such a well known artist and has been so thoroughly researched that it seems very unlikely that a painting known to be by him would not be listed in major art history references. I did check a number of online academic art history databases not accessible to the general public and found no reference to any portrait of Francis Bryan, whether by Holbein or someone else. Indeed, Susan Brigden states in her article on Bryan in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography that no portrait of Sir Francis survives. Perhaps the story that Sir Francis was painted by Holbein is simply another example of the multitude of people supposedly painted by the master who were in fact never portrayed at all?
I am a descendant of Sir Francis Bryan. My ancestor, Winifred Bryan
Cole, wrote a book about the Bryan/
Cole family. He states in his book that Sir Francis did not want a portrait because of his eyeloss. There is a portrait of his brother-in-law, Sir Nicholas Carew by Holbein. He was married to Sir Francis' sister. I believe I saw the portrait at Windsor Castle.
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