Panel
1536-1537 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
During the Tudor period heraldic motifs and mottoes were often incorporated into the interior and exterior decoration of a building. Craftsmen exploited the motifs for their intrinsic decorative qualities, although it was the information that they conveyed about the status and wealth of the owner that was most important. This panel would have originally formed part of a richly painted and gilded scheme of carved wall decoration.
Design & Designing
During Henry VIII's reign (1509-1547) legislation was passed relating to the use of armorial devices. In order to ensure that they used the correct forms, carvers and painters are known to have owned and consulted pattern books. Unfortunately, no such patterns survive. However, there are surviving royal records of arms and heraldic beasts, for example those by Sir Thomas Wriothesley (died 1534), Henry VIII's Garter King of Arms. These records would have been used to give advice to painters involved in the decoration of the royal palaces.
Subjects Depicted
The panel is carved with the arms of Jane Seymour as Queen. She married Henry VIII in 1536 and their alliance is represented by the combination of Seymour family arms with those of Henry VIII. The top left hand 'quarter' of the lozenge comprises three lion guards, Henry's heraldic 'supporters', and a repeated fleur-de-lis motif. The fleur-de-lis was one of several badges used by the King. The crown and Tudor roses above the lozenge also represent Jane's royal status.
During the Tudor period heraldic motifs and mottoes were often incorporated into the interior and exterior decoration of a building. Craftsmen exploited the motifs for their intrinsic decorative qualities, although it was the information that they conveyed about the status and wealth of the owner that was most important. This panel would have originally formed part of a richly painted and gilded scheme of carved wall decoration.
Design & Designing
During Henry VIII's reign (1509-1547) legislation was passed relating to the use of armorial devices. In order to ensure that they used the correct forms, carvers and painters are known to have owned and consulted pattern books. Unfortunately, no such patterns survive. However, there are surviving royal records of arms and heraldic beasts, for example those by Sir Thomas Wriothesley (died 1534), Henry VIII's Garter King of Arms. These records would have been used to give advice to painters involved in the decoration of the royal palaces.
Subjects Depicted
The panel is carved with the arms of Jane Seymour as Queen. She married Henry VIII in 1536 and their alliance is represented by the combination of Seymour family arms with those of Henry VIII. The top left hand 'quarter' of the lozenge comprises three lion guards, Henry's heraldic 'supporters', and a repeated fleur-de-lis motif. The fleur-de-lis was one of several badges used by the King. The crown and Tudor roses above the lozenge also represent Jane's royal status.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Carved oak |
| Brief description | English 1536-37, of oak, carved with the arms of Jane Seymour. |
| Physical description | Oak panel carved with the arms of Jane Seymour |
| Dimensions |
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| Gallery label | British Galleries:
A woman's arms are usually shown on a diamond-shaped shield or lozenge. Jane Seymour (possibly 1509-1537) was the third wife of Henry VIII and mother of Edward VI (1537-1553). Her death just after Edward's birth received little public attention in the general rejoicing over a male heir. Jane's brother became the famous Protector to the young Edward VI and was rewarded by being created Duke of Somerset.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Given by Miss Helen Legge |
| Object history | Carved in England. Panel with Queen Jane Seymour arms, gift of Miss Helen Legge of SW1 Notes from R.P. 25/7581 22 April 1925 Miss Legge offers to loan "a valuable piece of carving" to the Museum. 23 April 1925 letter H C Smith to Miss Legge describes the panel carved with the arms of Queen Jane Seymour as "a work of very fine quality…finer, in fact, than anything of the period which we already possess". He explains that Seymour's arms are shown impaled with those of Henry VIII in a stained glass roundel dated 1537 in the Museum. He notes that the Museum also has a carving showing the Tudor Rose and Crown and the pomegranate of Catherine of Aragon, "but the work is coarse compared with …your panel". The quarterings on the shield (which read from left to right) are given on the back of the panel", save that the 4th quarter should be Esturmy, and the 6th Coker". 21 October 1925 Miss Legge's loan becomes a gift. King recommends acceptance of "this magnificent specimen of Tudor wood carving"; Brackett calls it "an important example of Tudor carving". |
| Summary | Object Type During the Tudor period heraldic motifs and mottoes were often incorporated into the interior and exterior decoration of a building. Craftsmen exploited the motifs for their intrinsic decorative qualities, although it was the information that they conveyed about the status and wealth of the owner that was most important. This panel would have originally formed part of a richly painted and gilded scheme of carved wall decoration. Design & Designing During Henry VIII's reign (1509-1547) legislation was passed relating to the use of armorial devices. In order to ensure that they used the correct forms, carvers and painters are known to have owned and consulted pattern books. Unfortunately, no such patterns survive. However, there are surviving royal records of arms and heraldic beasts, for example those by Sir Thomas Wriothesley (died 1534), Henry VIII's Garter King of Arms. These records would have been used to give advice to painters involved in the decoration of the royal palaces. Subjects Depicted The panel is carved with the arms of Jane Seymour as Queen. She married Henry VIII in 1536 and their alliance is represented by the combination of Seymour family arms with those of Henry VIII. The top left hand 'quarter' of the lozenge comprises three lion guards, Henry's heraldic 'supporters', and a repeated fleur-de-lis motif. The fleur-de-lis was one of several badges used by the King. The crown and Tudor roses above the lozenge also represent Jane's royal status. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | W.63-1925 |
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| Record created | March 27, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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