Margaret Roper (Margaret More, 1505–1544)
Original title: Margaret Roper (Margaret More, 1505–1544)
kurzbeschreibung
Painted around 1535–36, this miniature portrait of Margaret Roper, daughter of Thomas More, is by Hans Holbein the Younger. Executed on vellum laid on a playing card, it measures 45 mm in diameter. It shows a young woman in a dark, fur-trimmed gown holding a book.
Description
An oval frame of gold and enamel encircles the portrait, with small coloured enamel stones set into it in a geometric arrangement. The sitter wears a dark robe trimmed with fur and an embroidered headdress; a book rests in her hands, and the ground behind her is a flat blue. Above her head runs the Latin inscription 'AETATIS XXV' (age 25).
Context
As the eldest daughter of Thomas More, Lord Chancellor to Henry VIII, Margaret Roper was a remarkable figure. The likeness was made around 1535–36, only months after her father's execution in July 1535. Holbein probably painted the miniature as a keepsake for the family, or on commission. Showing Margaret with a book underscores her learning, which was unusual in the humanist circles of the day.
Impact
What stands out in this small portrait is the minute execution and the frame's strong colour, which sets itself apart from the sitter's dark clothing. The intimate format and the direct presentation bring the viewer close to the person, while the Latin inscription, with its learned character, restores a certain distance.
Technique
The painting was done on vellum, a fine animal skin mounted on a playing card — a common practice in Renaissance miniature painting for greater stability. The colours are applied opaquely; fine brushstrokes capture details such as the embroidery and the facial features. The frame was made separately and decorated with enamel and gold.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)