Henry VIII – A Picture Study

Instructions

  1. Click on the link to go to Living Library. To search for a portrait of Henry VIII, click Find then Picture Library. Type Henry VIII in the search box and click Go. From the list of pictures displayed, click the small picture at the top to see a larger version.
  2. Right-click on the picture. A popup menu is displayed. Click Copy to copy the picture. Close the browser.
  3. Paste the picture into this document by clicking underneath these instructions and clicking the Paste button on the toolbar. Centre the picture on the page by clicking on the picture and dragging it into position.
  4. Resize and position the picture until you are happy with it, then delete these instructions. Look carefully at all the details in the portrait, and answer the questions below.

Questions about this picture

  1. Look carefully at the clothes this person is wearing. Describe them. What do they tell us about how wealthy he is? What gives this impression?
  2. What other things in the picture indicate how wealthy and powerful he is? Describe them and explain what they tell us about Henry, and why.
  3. Look at his face. Look carefully at his eyes, his mouth. Describe his features. What kind of personality do you think this man has? What makes you think this?
  4. What do you think the artist (and Henry VIII) wanted people to think when they saw this portrait? How successfully do you think the artist has done this? What makes you think this?
  5. Do you think this is really what Henry looked like? Why/why not? How can we be sure?
  6. Imagine you could travel back in time and meet the person in this portrait. What would you want to ask him? Write down three questions about this person that you would like to know the answers to.
  7. Search the articles in Living Library, use CD ROMs, and browse through reference books to try to find the answers to your questions. What kind of questions would be impossible to find the answers to? If you do manage to find the answers to any of your questions, make a note of them.
  8. Try to find a different picture of Henry VIII, using Living Library, CD ROMs or books. Look carefully at this different image, the clothes he’s wearing, things he’s carrying and items in the background of the picture. Would your answers to the above questions be different if you had been looking at this picture? Why/why not? Would you know that both pictures were of the same person? Why/why not?