Learning

Henry was a patron of artists from all over Europe, most notably the German painter Hans Holbein, who first came to England in 1526. Holbein captured the appearance of Henry’s family and courtiers in a series of perceptive portraits. Among the figures portrayed by Holbein was Sir Thomas More, one of a group of important writers at Henry’s court, who composed the famous satire Utopia. Holbein also drew Nicholas Bourbon, a French poet who became one of the circle of international writers and artists who worked for Henry.