Follower of Hans Holbein the Younger (1497/8 – 1543), Portrait of Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger (c.1521-1544), circa 1600, Oil on oak panel, D x 35.5 cm, Christie’s, London, Old Masters Part II: Paintings, Sculpture, Drawings and Watercolours, 4 December 2024
This portrait is one of several copies produced around half a century after Hans Holbein the Younger’s original, created between 1540 and 1542. Sir Thomas Wyatt the Younger (c. 1521–1554), son of poet Sir Thomas Wyatt, is best remembered for leading the 1554 rebellion against Queen Mary I of England. The failed uprising aimed to overthrow Queen Mary I of England and prevent her marriage to Philip II of Spain, which was feared to undermine English sovereignty and strengthen Catholic influence. Captured after the rebellion’s collapse, Wyatt was tried for treason and executed by beheading.
Holbein’s original, painted during Wyatt’s lifetime, reflects the artist’s skill in capturing both physical likeness and psychological depth. The later copies preserve that intensity, portraying Wyatt with a calm yet resolute expression—a striking contrast to the violent events of his life. The portrait belongs to an era when portraiture reflected both personal identity and political power, symbolising Wyatt as a figure caught between ambition and tragedy.
Mary’s reign ended with her death in 1558, and her successor, Elizabeth I, re-established Protestantism, condemning Mary’s Catholic policies. Under Elizabeth, Wyatt’s legacy shifted. Once denounced as a traitor, some later viewed him as a Protestant martyr, embodying resistance to tyranny and the defence of English sovereignty.
The production of copies decades later highlights his enduring historical significance. During Elizabeth’s reign, Wyatt was celebrated for opposing Catholicism and foreign dominance. These portraits commemorated his defiance and made a political statement, securing his place in the Protestant narrative of resistance.