A painting that has gone on public display Friday could be the only portrait of England's shortest-reigning queen, Lady Jane Grey, painted during her lifetime, according to the conservation group English Heritage.
It said there is “compelling” evidence to suggest that the portrait, on loan from a private collection, shows Jane, who was no older than 17 when she became queen for just nine days in the summer of 1553.
One of England's most tragic regal figures, she was executed at the Tower of London in 1554. Jane was a devout Protestant at a time of religious upheaval, the ultimate innocent victim of the chicanery of the Tudor court in the chaotic aftermath of Henry VIII’s reign.
She is perhaps best-known from Paul Delaroche’s painting, “The Execution of Lady Jane Grey,” which hangs in the National Gallery in central London. Jane, who may have been as young as 16, is shown blindfolded as an executioner with an axe waits to behead her.
But that painting, like the few others that purport to show Jane, all date from after her death.
Now, English Heritage says a Tudor-era work could be a “live” painting of Jane. The portrait, along with six others, will hang at Wrest Park, a country estate west of London managed by English Heritage, and which incidentally is the location of many scenes of Netflix's steamy period drama "Bridgerton."
The charity worked with the Courtauld Institute of Art and scientist Ian Tyers, who specializes in dendrochronology, or the dating of tree rings. It said there is enough evidence to raise the question: "Could this mysterious portrait be Lady Jane Grey?"
Among the evidence presented, English Heritage said the tree-dating points to the wooden panel having been constructed between 1539 and around 1571 — Jane is believed to have been born in 1536 or 1537 and was executed in early 1554. It also said the back of the panel displays a merchant or cargo mark, identical to one used on a royal portrait of King Edward VI, who, in an ultimately tragic turn, anointed his first cousin once removed as his successor.
It also noted a “striking change" in the eyes of the sitter to the left rather than the right and that at some point, the eyes, mouth and ears were deliberately scratched out. In addition, it said the sitter was likely wearing a more elaborate costume.
Rachel Turnbull, English Heritage’s Senior Collections Conservator, said the evidence points to the possibility that “we are looking at the shadows of a once more royal portrait of Lady Jane Grey, toned down into subdued, Protestant martyrdom after her death.”
Jane was bright, reportedly spoke multiple languages and a big fan of Plato. But it was her commitment to Protestantism that interested Edward VI.
Edward VI, the only surviving son of Henry VIII, was the first monarch to be raised a Protestant after his father split from Rome in order to divorce his first wife Catherine of Aragon. His mother was Henry's third wife, Jane Seymour, who Lady Jane was named after.
On being informed in 1553 that he was terminally ill, the 15-year-old Edward wanted to bypass his older sisters Mary and Elizabeth, and named Lady Jane his heir to prevent the realm reverting to Catholicism.
On July 10, Jane became queen but was deposed nine days later after her support melted away in the wake of an uprising by Mary's supporters. Jane was subsequently convicted of treason and sentenced to death.
