Review: Henry VIII: Man and Monarch

Though England’s royal history is a rich and colourful catalogue, few monarchs have captured the imagination like Henry VIII. He’s larger than life, making as big an impact on canvas as he did on his country’s politics, aesthetics and religion. He’s the stuff icons are made of, but icons are simple at a glance - the most we usually give them - so, to mark 500 years since his accession to the throne, a major exhibition at the British Library now explores the complexities of Henry as a person and a ruler. 

Guest-curated by historian Dr. David Starkey, it displays many of the original source materials that informed his recent book and television series about the Tudor King. Starkey’s intriguing new interpretation paints an intimate portrait of Henry as a child, schooled at his mother’s knee, who grows into a creative, accomplished and ambitious young man - that is before his infamous relationship with Anne Boleyn.  

Already married to Katherine of Aragon, it took Henry six years and severe religious upheavals to gain a legal divorce, and Starkey is the first to site this period as that which transformed an apparently good-natured King into the tyrant of our collective fascination.  As he points out, in an age when a man’s life expectancy was 41, Henry had spent nearly a sixth of his just trying to leave one woman for another. 

One of this exhibition’s highlights is a love letter from Henry pledging his commitment to marry Anne, a pivotal moment in British history and a moving piece of literature, released from the Vatican for the first time in nearly five centuries. Nearby hangs an oil painting of the lady herself - pale and plain - with a caption noting this as a “glamourised” image and remarking with humour: “Anne’s allure came from her personality, education and style, not from her good looks.”

Starkey’s lively and engaging approach to history is in action throughout this display, showcasing the British Library’s extensive Henry VIII collection alongside many borrowed works of art and museum pieces. Together they give an unusually comprehensive, first hand account of his reign, elegantly tied together by informative interpretations and beautiful interior design - the layout is chronological but travels a winding path through wooden beams that reach up into arched, Tudor-like ceilings. It’s been nearly two years in development but well worth wait.

You’ll need a good couple of hours absorb this vast and engrossing collection. As you might expect from the British Library, it’s a document-heavy display that reveals some fascinating details, but there are also a number of aesthetic highlights. A portrait of an unrecognizably young Henry is on show for the first time in the UK, alongside a haunting image of the teenage Katherine of Aragon - she’s life-like, fragile and out of place among the other heavy oils of the period. Henry’s writing desk (on which he was likely to have composed his love letters to Anne) is both thought-provoking and ornate, as is Anne’s annotated Book of Hours, while for pure visual impact a huge tapestry, The Triumph of Chastity Over Love, takes pride of place.

It’s an exhibition not to be missed, and to compliment it the British Library are hosting an impressive series of Henry VIII anniversary events, including live music, screenings, discussions, lectures and a special May Day celebration. David Starkey, historical novelist Philippa Gregory, and Michael Hirst (who created the television series The Tudors) are among a long list of special guests. Visit: www.bl.uk/henry for more information.

Henry VIII: Man and Monarch is on display at the British Library, London, until 6th September 2009.

Carla Evans - April 2009