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The ''Portrait of Thomas Cromwell'' is a small oil painting by Hans Holbein the Younger, usually dated c. 1532-4, when Cromwell was around 48 years old. It is one of two portraits Holbein painted of him; the other is a tondo from a series of medallions of Tudor courtiers.〔Strong, 276〕 The original panel is lost, known only from three copies: in the Frick Collection in New York (where it is pointedly hung opposite Holbein's ''Portrait of Thomas More''); in London's National Portrait Gallery; and in the Chichester Constable collection in Yorkshire. The Frick panel is superior in quality but they are all from a later date than the original.〔Strong, 277〕 The portrait seems to date from Holbein's second visit to England, when the sitter was acting on behalf of Henry VIII and commissioned a series of propagandistic images of favoured courtiers at a time when Cromwell's reputation was at its highest. He had emerged as the "Protestant counterweight to Thomas More in the Privy council",〔Erickson; Hulse, 167〕 sealed Anne Boleyn's position in bitter circumstance, and became one of the most influential and powerful men in England. At the same time he was cultured and instrumental in promoting Holbein's career.〔Erickson; Hulse, 167〕 Perhaps because of this, and given the portrait's genesis is steeped in the high and bloody politics of the time, with an unsteady king, we know nothing of Holbein's thoughts on the depiction. Cromwell is given due respect, but is presented as sour and somewhat stiff. The eyes are narrowly set, he tightly grips the seal. His reputation was poor until revision in the 1960s; today he is seen as a reformer and a highly capable, supreme political operator. Reflecting earlier opinion, it was noted that "of all the portraits that Holbein did at the English court, the portrait of Cromwell has always seemed the least flattering to its subject, the most viciously mocking."〔 Mindful of the protracted, fatal relationship between Cromwell and More, and their placing at the Frick, Henry Clay romantically asked that we "imagine Thomas More, the beautiful saint, and Cromwell, the monster, united in art and history, now facing each other, () Holbein and time and chance."〔Erickson; Hulse, 169〕 ==Subject== Thomas Cromwell was a lawyer and statesman who began life as a blacksmith's son in Putney, and rose to power as an associate of Cardinal Wolsey. After Wolsey's fall and a period of initial distrust, he became a confidant of Henry VIII, assuming the roles of vice-regent, Lord Chancellor, lord high chamberlain, amongst others. A shrewd politician, he was aware of the effect of propaganda and commissioned Holbein to produce images positioning him as a reformist and royalist, including anti-clerical woodcuts and the title page for Myles Coverdale's English translation of the bible. In this he was both progressive and atuned to Henry VIII's grandiose programme of artistic patronage. The king's efforts to glorify his own status as Supreme Head of the Church culminated in the building of Nonsuch Palace, started in 1538.〔Strong, 5〕 Cromwell engineered the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon. He was an early ally of Anne Boleyn but played a key roll in her downfall. He was a significant force in the Tudor court until, hoping to strengthen the political alliance with the Protestant cause in Germany, he erred in advising Henry to marry Anne of Cleves.〔Cust, 5〕 The move was unpopular and afforded his many enemies the chance to bring charges of treason, forcing his eventual arrest and beheading. This left Holbein in an uncertain position; his guile had allowed him survive the downfalls of More and Anne, but Cromwell's sudden fall on trumped-up charges badly damaged his career.〔Wilson, 265〕〔Schofield, 260–64〕 Although he managed to retain his position as King's painter, his standing never recovered. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Portrait of Thomas Cromwell」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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