The Marriage of Henry the VIIth and Elizabeth of York

Art Historical Context

This etching and engraving captures the historic union of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York on January 18, 1486, an event that symbolically ended the Wars of the Roses and established the Tudor dynasty. By uniting the rival houses of Lancaster and York, the marriage brought stability to England after decades of civil conflict and laid the foundation for the reign of their son, Henry VIII. Created in 1826 by John Major after an earlier composition associated with Jan Gossart (called Mabuse), the print employs the refined technique of etching and engraving on chine collé. This method, popular in the nineteenth century, allows for delicate tonal effects and crisp detail by printing on a thin sheet of Oriental paper that is then adhered to a sturdier support. Gossart, a leading Northern Renaissance artist, helped introduce Italianate forms and classical motifs to Flemish art, and this reproductive print preserves that visual legacy for later audiences. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, the work offers visitors a glimpse into how key moments of English history were commemorated and reinterpreted through printmaking across centuries.

About the Artist

John Major|Jan Gossart (called Mabuse)|H. Cook|Henry VII, King of England and Lord of Ireland|Elizabeth of York, Queen of England (British|Netherlandish|British|British|British) · 1800 |1478 |1800 |1457 |1466 –1850 |1532 |1850 |1509 |1503

London|Netherlandish, Maubeuge ca. 1478–1532 Antwerp (?)|British, active 1826|British, Pembrokeshire, Wales 1457–1509 Richmond|1466–1503