This magnet pictures a 1870 painting by Victorian English artist, Marcus Stone (1840-1921). It features an historical scene of English King Henry VIII wooing Anne Boleyn in her chambers. Peeking through a doorway from the hall is his wife, Katherine of Aragon. Cardinal Wolsey looks on, as do 10 others that are probably identifiable by someone better versed in Anne's posse. George is certainly in the group. A small child plays on the floor at Anne's feet. Not sure who that represents. Looks like a boy but maybe Elizabeth?
Henry's coat of arms appears on a wall plaque.
Nearby is a small white dog, presumably Anne's dog Purkoy, originally gifted to Sir Francis Bryan by Lady Honor Lisle, wife of the governor of Calais, Arthur Lisle. Reportedly Anne Boleyn fell in love with Purkoy and made the dog her own. I've not found reference on the web to suggest that a portrait was ever done of Purkoy; however I did find one reference to Lady Lisle gifting a poodle to someone else. The little dog in this painting, done 334 years later, looks more like a Havanese or small Bichon.
Purkoy was reportedly named for the French word pourquoi, meaning,"why?". A pourquoi head tilt is a gesture particularly common to Havanese dogs. Poor little dog fell out a window and was killed few weeks before Anne's execution.
Magnet size: 2-1/4" x 3-1/4" (5.71cm x 8.25cm)
This is just one of a large selection of Tudor dynasty refrigerator magnets. See the entire collection.
