Last week, our UKS2 Crews had a very special visit from an expert artist and Tudor enthusiast. She brought with her a remarkable portrait of King Henry VIII, which had been painted for her by her father. Seeing the portrait up close was a fantastic experience for the children, as it helped bring our Tudor learning to life.

During the session, she shared fascinating information about Hans Holbein the Younger, one of the most famous artists of the Tudor period. Holbein is well known for painting incredibly detailed and realistic portraits of important figures at the court of Henry VIII. His paintings were not just about showing what someone looked like — they were carefully designed to show power, wealth and status.

We looked closely at some of the features that made Holbein’s portraits so distinctive. The children noticed the rich fabrics, detailed jewellery and confident poses used to show the importance of the people being painted. We also discussed how artists used colour, position and symbolism to send a message about the subject.

Our visitor also gave the class some helpful critique and advice about their own Tudor portrait work. She encouraged the children to think carefully about proportion, detail and expression, just as artists like Holbein would have done hundreds of years ago.

The session was a brilliant opportunity to combine history and art, helping the children understand not only what Tudor portraits looked like, but also why they were created in that way. It was a memorable experience and gave everyone lots of inspiration as we continue developing our own Tudor-style portraits.