With impressive restoration, painting by Anne of Cleves is once again displayed at the Louvre

The Louvre has just completed the restoration of the portrait that would have convinced Henry VIII to marry Anne of Cleves, and now we can finally glimpse the beauty that so enchanted the English king almost 500 years ago. This journey of restoration takes us on a fascinating journey through history and art, revealing not only Queen Anne’s royal appearance, but also the complex political and social games of the Tudor court.

When we come across the restored portrait of Anne of Cleves, we are immediately transported to the world of the 16th century, where marriage alliances were forged on the basis of politics and power rather than romantic love. What makes this portrait so special is not just its aesthetic beauty, but the role it played in the history of the English monarchy.

The young woman promised to the king

Born in 1515 into a noble German family, Anne of Cleves grew up amid political negotiations and strategic alliances. Sent to England as a potential bride for King Henry VIII, Anne was portrayed by renowned painter Hans Holbein, whose ability to capture the essence of his sitters is truly masterful.

Upon seeing the portrait of Anne of Cleves, according to some accounts, Henry VIII was enchanted, seduced by the image of a young noblewoman adorned in a red and gold dress, whose brown eyes seemed to watch him with innocence and sweetness.

However, the reality of this meeting was very different, not at all like the fairy tales we see out there, where everything ends in a beautiful royal wedding full of love and passion.

When Anne arrived in England and met Henry in person, the enchantment quickly dissipated. The king, disappointed by the disparity between the idealized image and reality, declared his famous phrase: “I do not like her!”.

Despite this initial disappointment, the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves was consummated for political reasons, resulting in a brief and unhappy union. However, Ana did not disappear into the obscurity of history; on the contrary, she found a distinguished position as the “king’s sister”, receiving a generous pension and estates following the annulment of her marriage to Henry.

The restoration

The recent restoration of the portrait of Anne of Cleves gives us a clearer view of not just the queen’s appearance.

The excellent work of the restorers revealed a blue color in the background that highlighted the young woman’s golden jewelry, as well as making Ana’s beautiful and elegant red dress more vibrant. With this new “face”, it becomes more plausible to understand why King Henry VIII became fond of Anne and therefore preferred to marry her.

Another interesting point in this restoration is that the Louvre allowed it to be more complete, that is, the restorers could make more technical interventions to reveal details of the work. Something about this style was difficult, as the museum has always been known for preferring more conservative restorations, which might not bring out all the beauty and originality of the painting.

By examining every detail of the portrait, we can appreciate not only Holbein’s technical skill, but also the complexities of the political and social relationships of the time.