Oh boy do I wish I was in London!
From the BBC:
Art historians are one step closer to discovering the identity of a royal painter thanks to scientific research.
Analysis by the National Portrait Gallery of two renowned portraits of Elizabeth I has shown they were painted on wood from the same two trees.
The 16th century paintings have been associated with artist Nicholas Hilliard for many years.
Curator Tarnya Cooper said the research meant the work is probably that of Hilliard or someone working with him.
And more from the National Portrait Gallery website, including a really interesting infrared image of the Phoenix portrait.
The similarity of the birds’ poses — outstretched wings, the flames of the phoenix paralleling the baby pelicans — reminds me of how easily Anne Boleyn’s leopard emblem was replaced by Jane Seymour’s panther by “new making of the heads and tails.” I guess nearly everything was done to a pattern, but I wonder if the artists found it frustrating or a useful shortcut?
Thanks for posting this, Lara. I’m going down to London for a few days to do some more work on my Agnes Tilney/Norfolk House/Kathryn Howard research – which is very, very hard going.
I’ll be staying on The Strand, just round the corner from the NPG, so a visit on Friday for late opening will be just the job … & also coffee & the bookshop. It’s hard work, but somebody has to do it!
Marilyn, I’m green with envy!