Sixteenth Century Art in Northern Europe: The English Renaissance

Context of the Sixteenth Century: Today's study focuses on the art of Northern Europe during the $16^{\text{th}}$ century, with a specific emphasis on the art of England.
The Tudor Family and Court:
- Definition: The Tudor court refers to the entirety of the Tudor family, which was one of the most influential ruling families in England during its Renaissance.
- Duration of Rule: The Tudor family ruled England for over $100$ years.
- Prominent Figures: Notable members include King Henry the eighth and Queen Elizabeth.
- Stability and Flourishing Art: During this period, England experienced substantial economic and political stability. History shows that art, music, and literature flourish most during times of peace and stability under powerful sovereignties, countries, or empires.
Shift in Artistic Subject Matter:
- In previous styles, art and portraiture were largely dominated by very religious themes.
- During the English Renaissance, there was a significant shift toward royal portraiture, focusing on the monarchy and members of the royal family.

Hans Holbein the Younger (also referred to as Hans Holbein the younger):
- Background: He was a German-born artist.
- Role: He was favored by the Tudors, who preferred painters from Germany and the Netherlands. He ultimately became known as the \"king's painter\" and was the primary artist for portraits of the noble family.
The Portrait of King Henry the Eighth ( $1540$ ):
- Significance: This is considered one of the most famous portraits of King Henry the eighth, one of Hoglund's most famous works, and a defining image of the English Renaissance.
- Subject Age and Physicality: According to an inscription on the painting, the king was $49$ years old at the time. Physical records suggest King Henry was over $6$ feet tall with a $54$ -inch waist.
- Artistic License and Flattery: The artist took several liberties to \"fluff up the ego\" of the king:
  - The king's facial features were softened.
  - He is depicted with exceptionally broad shoulders and a prominent, statue-like stance to emphasize his stature.
- Symbolism of Power:
  - Composition: The king encompasses the entirety of the composition, making reference to his absolute power as the representative of the English empire.
  - Textiles: The painting includes lavish and expensive textiles encrusted with jewels and precious stones, which explicitly suggest immense wealth and national strength.

The Split from the Catholic Church:
- The Problem of Divorce: England was originally part of the Catholic Church in Rome, which did not permit divorce. King Henry the eighth desired a male heir and sought to end marriages that did not produce one.
- Wives and Executions: Because the church would not bless a remarriage after divorce, Henry resorted to having his wives beheaded. He would create \"scams\" or scandals involving claims of unfaithfulness to justify public executions, allowing him to marry successive wives in search of an heir.
- The Protestant Reformation in England: While the Protestant Reformation was occurring across Northern Europe, King Henry localized it to England for personal and political reasons.
- The Church of England: Henry established the monarchy as the head of the official Church of England, creating a definitive split from the Catholic Church.
Artistic Consequences: As a result of this religious split, religious-themed artworks were pushed aside. The emergence of nobility and royal subjects as the primary focus of art served to reinforce the power of the new Protestant-based church structure led by the monarchy.

Professional Status: Known as the \"king's patriks\" or female painter (the king's paintress). She was the single highest-paid artist in the court of Henry the eighth.
The Portrait of Princess Elizabeth ( $1559$ ):
- Attribution: Most art historians concur this work belongs to Tearlink, though there is some speculation.
- Subject: This depicts Elizabeth as a young woman/princess before she became queen.
- The Elizabethan Period: The majority of Tearlink's later works were completed while Elizabeth was queen, a timeframe known as the Elizabethan period.
Style and Technical Features:
- Pyramidal Composition: Elizabeth is arranged in a stable, triangular shape.
- Softening of Figures: Tearlink utilized sensuous flesh tones and softened features, though she still captured Elizabeth's characteristically high-brimmed nose and tight-lipped expression.
- Detailing: She is adorned in lavish textiles and a jewel-encrusted dress. A French-inspired hat (cap) is pushed to the rear of her head to specifically expose her \"infamous red hair.\"
- Scholarship: A book is included in the background as a testament to Elizabeth's education, scholarly nature, and love for learning.

Key Figures:
- Robert Smithson: Considered England's first professional Renaissance architect. He received several commissions from the nobility.
- Elizabeth of Shrewsbury (\"Bess\"): She played a major role in the development and creation of Hardwick Hall.
Architectural Features of Hardwick Hall:
- Renovation: Bess took a preexisting structure and expanded it from a one-story building to a two-story building.
- Symmetry and Mathematics: The structure features a centralized grand hall with expanded floor space and square footage added to both sides. The layout is perfectly symmetrical; if split in half, it is a mirror image. This reflects the influence of mathematical and geometric relations established during the Italian Renaissance.
- Comparison to Italian Style: While influenced by the Renaissance, Smithson's work is described as less ornate or more \"bland\" compared to contemporary Italian Renaissance architecture.
Internal Features:
- The High Grade Chamber: A very large room within the hall.
- Tapestries: The chamber holds six incredibly famous tapestries that depict the story of the great Ulysses.

Role of Royal Portraiture: It served as a vital historic record and gained popularity largely due to the shift away from Catholicism.
Foreign Influence: German and Netherlandish artists were critical in introducing the style of the English Renaissance.
Classical Revivals: Architecture saw a revival of geometry and symmetry, while the upper class maintained a distinct taste for the lavish and ornate.

Extra Definitions

Tudor Court - refers to the Tudor family who ruled England for over one hundred years
King Henry VIII - King Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy.
Hans Holbein the Younger - court painter to Henry VIII
Levina Bening Teerlinc - Levina Bening Teerlinc was a Flemish miniaturist who served as a painter to the English court of Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.
Queen Elizabeth - queen of England and Ireland from November 1558 until her death
Elizabethan period - the period associated with Queen Elizabeth I's reign, from 1558 to 1603, often considered to be the golden age in English history
Hardwick Hall - one of the most significant Elizabethan country houses in England
Robert Smythson - an English architect who designed a number of notable houses during the Elizabethan era