Henry VIII, 1491-1547, King of England 1509

Art Historical Context

This striking silvered brass medal portrays Henry VIII, who ruled England from 1509 until his death in 1547. Created in the style of Hans Schwarz, a leading German Renaissance medallist, the work reflects the period’s growing interest in individualized portraiture. Though dated broadly to the fifteenth century, the depiction captures the young monarch’s commanding presence through crisp profile modeling, a format that allowed rulers to project authority across courts and collections. Measuring nearly four inches in diameter and weighing just under a pound, the piece was cast in brass and given a silvered surface to evoke the prestige of more costly metals. Such portrait medals served both as diplomatic gifts and personal keepsakes, circulating the king’s image during a transformative era marked by the English Reformation and shifting European alliances. The Samuel H. Kress Collection has preserved this example at the National Gallery of Art, where it offers visitors a tangible link to Tudor power and early modern artistry.