Habit of King Henry VIII in 1520, Hand Colored Jefferys Costume Plate, 1757

This is an original antique copper engraving with hand coloring, lettered in script "Habit of King Henry VIII in 1520." The bearded king stands squarely facing us in a flat black cap trimmed with a white plume. His white doublet and skirted jerkin are worked with gold braid and set with jewels, under a broad fur collar and a crimson gown lined with fur and banded in gold at the hem. He holds a dagger in its sheath in his right hand, on the viewer's left, and his left hand rests on the cord at his waist. White hose and soft white shoes complete the dress.

The French caption beneath reads "Le Roi Henry VIII.", meaning King Henry VIII. The plate number 195 is engraved at lower right. No artist or engraver is named, and the plate does not name Holbein.

This is a plate from Volume II of A Collection of the Dresses of Different Nations, Antient and Modern, issued in London in 1757 by Thomas Jefferys, Geographer to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, from his premises in the Strand. Its title page credits the designs to Holbein, Vandyke, Hollar and others, and a French title page, Recueil des Habillements de Différentes Nations, accompanies the English one, so each figure is captioned in both languages. Henry VIII reigned from 1509 to 1547, and 1520 was the year of his meeting with Francis I of France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. The date in the caption refers to the costume.

The figure stands alone on the sheet with ample margins, so it frames easily and sits comfortably beside other costume plates.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.