Katherine Parr

Katherine Parr, 1512-1548, by an unknown artist Katherine Parr, 1512-1548, by an unknown artist Courtesy National Portrait Gallery, London, acc. no. NPG 4618.

Katherine Parr (1512-1548) was the sixth and last wife of King Henry VIII of England (r: 1509-1547). She was portrayed in c. 1545 by a now unknown artist. The portrait is currently in the National Portrait Gallery, London, acc. no. NPG 4618. Katherine Parr was married to King Henry VIII from 1543 until his death in 1547.

In the portrait, she is wearing a smock, which is decorated at the collar and gathered sleeve cuffs with whitework, in the form of a series of ornate diamonds with rosettes placed inside, and groups of four small diamonds in between. It is possible that it was worked in a double running stitch (Holbein stitch). This is a style of embroidery that was very popular in England and parts of Europe in the sixteenth century.

The gown she is wearing is decorated with bands all worked with the same design, but it is not clear whether these are woven or embroidered forms.

See also Hans Ewouts's portraits of Bess of Hardwick and Lady Dacre.

National Portrait Gallery online catalogue (retrieved 29 June 2016).

GVE

A chart of the whitework pattern on Katherine Parr's collar.

 

 

 

Chart of the whitework pattern on Catherine Parr's collar. Drawing by the author.

 

 

 

Last modified on Sunday, 14 August 2016 18:11
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