The Apotheosis of Henry VIII

Object Type
This highly finished drawing may have been a preparatory design for an engraving (an image made by cutting lines into the surface of a flat piece of metal, inking the plate and then transferring the ink held in the lines on to a sheet of paper), but this is not certain. Some think that it was a design for an arch for a triumphal procession, though there is little evidence for this. The meaning of the subject is uncertain, though it seems to be an allegory referring to Henry VIII (1509-1547) during the last years of his reign. It is clear, however, that the artist, Robert Pyte (died about 1552), was familiar with the classical-influenced work of the Italian architect and theorist Sebastiano Serlio (1475-about 1553 or 1555). The frieze of the second storey and the panelled attic storey above it are directly copied from folio 62v of Book IV of Serlio's treatise on architecture, which was first published in 1537.

Materials & Making
The design is drawn in pen and ink with wash on vellum, which is a fine parchment prepared from the skin of calf, kid or lamb. Vellum was commonly used in Britain at this time, although it was being surpassed by the use of paper. Made from wood pulp, paper was better for printing uses and cheaper than vellum.

People
The drawing is inscribed 'Robertus Pyte' and bears the monogram 'IS'. This is probably Robert Pyte, who was an engraver to the Royal Mint from the early 1540s. He was chief engraver from 1550 until his death in 1552.