New research employing artificial intelligence has suggested that a long-unidentified sitter in a sketch by Renaissance master Hans Holbein the Younger could, in fact, be Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII. The findings challenge centuries of art historical consensus regarding the identity of the subjects in two of Holbein's notable sketches.
The study focuses on two small portraits by Holbein. One has historically been accepted as a depiction of Anne Boleyn, whose dramatic downfall and execution in 1536 is a significant chapter in British history. The other sketch, however, has always been attributed to an unknown woman, her identity lost to time and historical record.
Researchers involved in the project posit that incorrect inscriptions made during the 1700s may be responsible for the long-standing misunderstanding. These inscriptions, added generations after Holbein's death, are believed to have mistakenly attributed the identities of the subjects, leading to a persistent misinterpretation that has endured for centuries.
The application of AI in this context represents a novel approach to art historical research, providing a new lens through which to examine and potentially re-evaluate historical artefacts. While the full methodology and peer review process for this specific research are ongoing, the initial findings open a significant debate among art historians and historians of the Tudor period.