Tuesday, October 10, 2023

Check out the Blackwork Embroidery on Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, the 4th Duke of Norfolk, was the only duke during Queen Elizabeth I's reign. This portrait of him was painted by Hans Eworth in 1563. 
 
Norfolk had been described as a weak man with Catholic leanings and greatly desired to wed Mary, Queen of Scots. After being implicated in the Ridolfi plot to free Mary and dethrone Elizabeth, Elizabeth had him tried, condemned, and beheaded in 1572. 


This portrait had been part of the Renaissance Marriage Portraits exhibition at the Holburne Museum

The thing that I am most fascinated by is the detail work of the blackwork embroidery within his cuffs and ruff! 



Here is my initial interpretation of the pattern on his cuffs is:










No comments:

Post a Comment