The Tudor Chest Podcast The face of Lady Jane Grey with Rachel Turnbull
Mar 20, 2025
Rachel Turnbull, Senior Collections Conservator with English Heritage, reveals her pivotal role in discovering a newly surfaced portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the Nine Days Queen. The discussion dives into the intricate artistic details and modifications that reflect changing perceptions of Jane throughout history. Rachel shares her passion for art conservation and explains how dendrochronology may connect this artwork to its time. Listeners gain fresh insights into Tudor art, its significance, and the evolving narrative of Lady Jane Grey's identity.
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Original Portrait and Panel Integrity
- The portrait is a small oak panel depicting a young woman in plain black with a linen coif, not a full royal regalia.
- The panel size is original, not cut down, and shows evidence of later alterations.
Altered Headwear and Clothing Discovered
- The sitter's plain black dress and white linen coif differ from typical Tudor royal portraits that feature elaborate hoods or French hoods.
- Infrared imaging revealed significant early alterations including painting over a possible hood with hair painted on top.
1681 Marked Portrait as Lady Jane
- The first documented suggestion of the portrait as Lady Jane Grey dates to 1681 from an engraving for a book on the Reformation.
- This implies the painting was attributed to her earlier though no concrete evidence exists for earlier dates.