Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn by Unknown English artist

Unknown English artist, 22 June 2023

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About this artwork

This is a portrait of Anne Boleyn, queen of England from 1533 until 1536. The painting shows her in profile, with a long neck that rises gracefully above a fine collar of pearls. Her dark hair frames a face marked by a wide mouth and eyes described as black and beautiful; the artist captures those features precisely. A small pendant bearing the letter “B” dangles from her necklace, recalling her family name. The work is oil on panel, created in late‑sixteenth‑century England, probably a copy of an earlier, now‑lost portrait that chronicled her brief reign.

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Anne Boleyn is in the collection of The National Portrait Gallery at St Martin's Place, London — free to enter. Point your phone at any artwork there and audioguide.london plays a free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.

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