UK first as art detectives put Tudor masterpiece under the public spotlight

The spectacular 2.5m × 3.4 m portrait shows three generations of the family of Sir Thomas More, Henry VIII’s Lord Chancellor, who was executed for treason for not supporting the annulment of the King’s first marriage. His story has been famously portrayed on screen, including by Paul Scofield in the 1966 film A Man for All Seasons and more recently by Anton Lesser in Wolf Hall.

The painting – which remained in its packing case for most of the 18^th century because its size made it so difficult to hang – will be moved into a temporary studio in the Top Hall at Nostell, West Yorkshire. Here, visitors can watch as experts from the University of Cambridge’s Hamilton Kerr Institute scan and record the painting’s surface in minute detail, and hopefully reveal some of its secrets. The research is financially supported by the Center for Thomas More Studies at The University of Dallas.

Simon McCormack, Curator of Nostell, home to the painting for nearly 300 years, said: “We have long wanted to fully investigate this painting, which has had limited scientific analysis. It was also important to us to share this exciting work with our visitors, which will be the first time that MA-XRF (macro X-ray fluorescence scanning) has been done in public in the UK.

Simon continued: “This painting, one of the most famous images of early Tudor family life, has always been considered one of the glories of the house. Its rich detail, jewel-like appearance and near 1:1 scale gives the impression that you are standing in front of a real family gathering.

“What makes it even more significant is that it is a rare copy based on a long-lost original by Hans Holbein the Younger, the most important artist working in England in the 16th century. That original, made around 1527 and lost in a fire in 1752, was regarded as one of the most innovative of Holbein’s English period and was arguably the first group portrait of a British family at home. Nostell's painting is understood to be the most faithful to Holbein's original and the only same-size version that survives.”

The painting shows Sir Thomas More with his family, books, musical instruments and pets in their Chelsea home, and may have been commissioned to mark More’s 50th birthday and his daughters’ double wedding. It is filled with symbolism, from the books that reference the family's scholarly reputation to the three-petalled irises that allude to faith, valour, and wisdom.

Simon said: “There are lots of myths and legends around our painting which heritage science may be able to help answer. How close is it to the lost original? When was it painted? How much has it been altered over time, and by who?”

Rebecca Hellen, National Conservator for the Visual Arts at the National Trust added: “Heritage scientists and imaging experts from the Hamilton Kerr Institute, Fitzwilliam Museum, will generate visuals that may provide us with fresh clues and information on the painting. They will use techniques like Infrared Reflectography (IRR) and a newer exciting imaging technique called MA-XRF, famously used on Rembrandt’s The Night Watch at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, which will be the first use of it in front of visitors in the UK.

Rebecca continued: “We will explore the possible presence of under-drawing hidden in lower layers of the painting with the Infrared Reflectography, as well as all the different applications of paint and pigments that were used by the unknown artist, using MA-XRF. Later additions that might be non-original but could still be relatively old may be revealed, as well as more recent 20^th century restorations.”

Professor Erma Hermens, Deputy Director Conservation and Heritage Science at the Fitzwilliam Museum and Director of the Hamilton Kerr Institute, University of Cambridge, explained how this is a truly collaborative technical art history project between curators, conservators and heritage scientists.

She explained: “We are very excited to use our technical equipment in situ for the first time, taking it from Cambridge to Yorkshire, to help the National Trust in their understanding of this amazing family portrait. We will collect a lot of data during our stay and explain to the visitors at Nostell what we are doing and which stories about the painting’s making we hope to reveal – and maybe even share some during the MA-XRF scanning and infrared reflectography at Nostell.”

MA-XRF imaging will take place day and night over the course of some eight days, starting on 3 September, followed by Infrared Reflectography imaging, in the hope of answering questions that have surrounded the painting for generations. Perhaps the most tantalising question is, who painted it?

Simon continued: “We don’t know for certain who painted the Nostell portrait. The inscription to Rowland Lockey (active 1593-1616), a relatively little-known English artist, was possibly added later. A version of the original at The National Portrait Gallery has a documented link to Lockey, but our painting is likely to be by a different hand.”

For now, the painting is described as ‘After Hans Holbein, previously attributed to Rowland Lockey’. When analysis is complete next year, visitors will be able to explore the processes used during analysis and learn about its results. Interpretation of the analysis will be done by experts from the Hamilton Kerr Institute, Fitzwilliam Museum, curators and conservators from the National Trust, also supported by Cambridge PhD Student Megan Buchanan-Smith who is researching the work of portrait painter Rowland Lockey for her collaborative doctoral award at the University of Cambridge, in partnership with the National Trust.

Simon concluded: “We hope that by doing this work in front of visitors, we can share an insight into the conservation science that helps us to understand and care for our heritage – and help people take a deeper dive into one of our most prized, fascinating artworks.

"It’s all part of our mission to make the heritage we care for accessible to people; including what usually goes on behind the scenes and the science we use to understand our collections better.”

Imaging of Sir Thomas More and his Family will take place from 3 – 18 September at Nostell.