A possible portrait of Lady Jane Grey, which came to light at an auction in July 2024, was sold, restored and then sold again, has now been analysed by its new owner.
The new owner just happens to be Lady Jane Grey portrait expert, Dr Stephan Edwards!
Introducing the Edwards Portrait of Lady Jane Grey Dudley
Analysis of a ‘new’ portrait said to depict Jane Grey Dudley that appeared at auction in July 2024
‘Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine are two of the most recognisable figures of the Middle Ages, and almost certainly the best-known couple. The lives of their sons have been examined in detail many times, but their daughters are barely known despite the influence they exerted on the world around them. Joanna, the youngest daughter, led an extraordinary life full of travel, adventure, danger and controversy. Her story is told here in full for the first time.’
Further details – The History Press
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
‘ Step into the dazzling world of Tudor England, where art and power intertwine. In Secrets of the Tudor Portraits, Sylvia Barbara Soberton uncovers the hidden stories behind some of the most iconic images of the Tudor period. From the commanding presence of Henry VIII in Hans Holbein’s Whitehall Mural to Elizabeth I’s carefully crafted image as the Virgin Queen, these portraits are more than mere likenesses—they are coded messages, political propaganda and deeply personal reflections of their sitters.
Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, this book delves into the lives of the courtiers and artists who depicted them. Who were the true masterminds behind these masterpieces? What symbols and secrets lie hidden in plain sight? And how do these portraits continue to shape our understanding of the Tudor dynasty?’
Further details – Amazon.co.uk
The publisher has picked the two winners at random. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition.
Congratulations to Mags and Carole Nott who have won a signed copy of ‘Young Elizabeth: Princess. Prisoner. Queen.’
A possible portrait of Lady Jane is back home at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. Detailed analysis has been carried out on the portrait by English Heritage and this was reported in the press.
The portrait has been in a private collection but was on display as part of the ‘Lost Faces’ exhibition at the Philip Mould Gallery in March 2007, which I was lucky enough to visit. It was shown alongside the Teerlinc miniature as possible portraits of Jane. A detailed analysis was included in the exhibition catalogue, ‘Lost Faces: Identity and Discovery in Tudor Royal Portraiture’ edited by Bendor Grosvenor.
The portrait was also included in Stephan Edward’s analysis of possible portraits of Jane and published in ‘A Queen of a New Invention: Portraits of Lady Jane Grey Dudley, England’s Nine Days Queen’ in 2015 and the revised edition published in 2024,‘Portraits of Lady Jane Grey Dudley, England’s ‘Nine Days Queen.’
You can read his opinion about the Wrest Park portrait at Re-Visiting the Wrest Park Portrait: A Rebuttal .
English Heritage have published some of the analysis they have carried out on the portrait and their findings can be read at Could this Mysterious Portrait be Lady Jane Grey?
Other news articles
BBC News – Is this the face of teenage queen Lady Jane Grey?
Artnet – Is This the Only Known Portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the Doomed Teen Royal?
ABC News – Portrait may be the only one of England’s 9-day queen painted during her lifetime
CNN – Is this the only known portrait of England’s doomed ‘Nine Days Queen’?
