LONDON – A recently unveiled painting may be the sole surviving portrait of Lady Jane Grey, England’s queen with the shortest reign, painted while she was alive, according to English Heritage. The portrait, presently on loan from a private collection, is believed to depict Jane, who was no older than 17 during her brief nine-day reign in the summer of 1553. Jane is a poignant historical figure, executed at the Tower of London in 1554 during a period of profound religious tension. Her tragic fate stems from her unwavering Protestant faith amidst the political maneuvering in the Tudor court following King Henry VIII’s reign.
The most renowned image of Jane likely comes from Paul Delaroche’s artwork, “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey,” housed in the National Gallery in London, portraying her blindfolded just before her execution. However, all known depictions of Jane were created posthumously. Currently, a painting from the Tudor period is postulated by English Heritage as possibly the “live” portrait of Jane. Displayed at Wrest Park, a countryside estate west of London and a filming site for the series “Bridgerton,” this potential portrait is to be examined alongside six others.
English Heritage collaborated with the Courtauld Institute of Art and dendrochronology expert Ian Tyers, who dates tree rings. Evidence suggesting the possibility that this is Jane’s painting includes the wooden panel’s dating from 1539 to around 1571, aligning with Jane’s birth between 1536 and 1537 and her execution in 1554. Moreover, a cargo mark on the back matches one found on a royal portrait of King Edward VI, who notably named Jane his heir.
Noteworthy alterations in the painting include a shift of the sitter’s gaze to the left and deliberate defacement of the eyes, mouth, and ears. The subject appears to wear an intricate costume suggesting a possible downplaying of her original royal portrayal, reflecting her posthumous status as a Protestant martyr, according to Rachel Turnbull, English Heritage’s Senior Collections Conservator.
Lady Jane Grey was intellectually gifted, reportedly multilingual, and an avid admirer of Plato, which interested Edward VI due to her Protestant dedication. Edward VI, the only surviving son of Henry VIII and first Protestant-raised monarch after the Church’s split from Rome, named Jane his heir at age 15 upon learning of his terminal condition. His intent was to thwart a Catholic resurgence by bypassing his Catholic sister Mary.
On July 10, 1553, Jane ascended the throne, only to be dethroned a mere nine days later after losing her political support due to an uprising favoring Mary. Subsequently, Jane faced charges of treason, resulting in her death sentence.