Sir Thomas More
- Artist: Hans Holbein the Younger
- Date: 1527
- Medium: oil on panel
- Dimensions: 29 1/2 in. x 23 in. (749 mm x 584 mm)
- Portrays: Sir Thomas More
- Museum: The National Portrait Gallery
- Collection record: The National Portrait Gallery website
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About this artwork
This is an early‑seventeenth‑century oil on panel that copies Hans Holbein the Younger’s 1527 portrait of Sir Thomas More. In it he sits upright in his study, face turned slightly toward the viewer. His attire is richly detailed: a double‑topped hat with feathered brim, a heavy wool coat, and a gold collar of Esses over his chest. The background shows simple bookshelves and a painted tapestry, hinting at a scholarly life. The handwork shows careful glazing that makes skin tones warm and fabric folds crisp. This copy was probably made in Italy or Austria and brought to the National Portrait Gallery in 1964 by the Pilgrim Trust and other patrons.
See it in person
Sir Thomas More 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.
