For years, people struggled with shortages of everything, housing, water, food, clothing. Central to the storyline is a young woman who meant much to both of them. I was much more intrested in Meg and Holbein. Meg herself is something of a physician only her learning is more concentrated on herbal remedies. Thomas More, a powerful and influential part of Henry VIII's court, his family, and Hans Holbein are brought to life again and shown with both shining perfection as well as dismal human failings. Next, she has woven into the story ideas, symbolism, and the art of Hans Holbein the famous Renaissance painter, creating a huge curiosity for me about his work. Set in the time of Henry VIII the title is slightly misleading. The novel starts at w. Vanora Bennett has chosen an interesting time in More's life for this novel of many layers. Lastly, I loved the way she brought in an element of one of England's great mysteries, the princes in the tower, and tied it to very real people and their relationships, making a completely plausible solution. Some of it just sounds too modern for the 1530s. Copyright 2007, The Washington Post. The time here is during the reign of King Henry VIII, those iffy years when he's thinking of dumping his first queen, the devout, hapless Catherine of Aragon, and hooking up with the bewitching Ann Boleyn. But the author states in an accompanying note that she got the idea for all this from the independent research of a retired jeweler named Jack Leslau, who believes he's found clues (in a portrait attributed to Holbein) to what actually happened to the two young princes supposedly killed in the tower of London by the dastardly Richard III. “I felt, by turns, numb, hot with a monstrous embarrassment, and sick as though I'd eaten splinters of glass and was slowly shredding inside.”, “The bigots are winning,” he said gloomily. Still a Catholic, the English monarch wants the pope to set him free to marry, but the pope will have none of it. Thomas More was a key figure during the reign of Henry VIII and played such an important role in shaping posterity's negative view of Richard III that the story of his family should have been a compelling one. Henry has been mounting a spirited persecution of Protestants on English soil. The book is about the family of Thomas More, the famous courtier who opposed the marriage of the king to Anne Boleyn. I really loved this book and I totally agree that it was nice to be away from Tudor Court and more on the streets of London. Neizvestnaya) is an oil painting by the Russian artist Ivan Kramskoi, painted in 1883. Fantastic historical fiction! The story takes place in postwar Germany, following Germany's loss in World War II. The story is told from the perspective of Thomas More's adopted daughter, Meg, who appears in the fam;ily portrait. The writing wasn’t bad, but it didn’t give me the insight into the life of Thomas More I was looking for - and don’t get me started on the character development (or I will have to break my self-imposed minimum snark rule). "Portrait of an Unknown Woman" promises a story about one woman's relationship with the painter Hans Holbein. Portrait of an Unknown Woman, also known as The Unknown Woman, An Unknown Lady or Stranger (Russian: Неизвестная, tr. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2013. Had I not read it first, I wouldn't have been prepared to understand the significance of the characters in Portrait. This could have been a great book. ... Wikipedia article. When it is shown, it causes embarrassment to Nicole's husband, Walter, a diplomat whose career is threatened. Just before Holbein arrives John Clement, former tutor to the family, arrives. Fischer, tearing his scenes to tatters.The film recouped every Mark of its high cost, and then some. I picked it up randomly at Barnes & Noble and had low expectations -- let's face it, most historical fictions are cheesy and lacking any depth. From my "futuristic" perspective, I was waiting for More to be taken away, but this doesn't happen. First there's the history, a time period I already find fascinating mainly because of how it changed the world/culture of religion. An interpretation of Hamlet finds the heir Claudius Steel Works struggling with his mother's to uncle Van Eyk in a sterile industrial post-WW2 West Germany. All Rights Reserved. It's funny that in history we are studying the Pilgrims and the Puritans and why they cam to the new world. She is committed to peace in the War of Spanish Succession. In other words, if you care about this sort of thing, it will make you feel learned all over again, even if you've forgotten half of what you ever absorbed in school. A lovely story with lots of history going through and a very nice story too. We’d love your help. The book is about the family of Thomas More, the famous courtier who opposed the marriage of the king to Anne Boleyn. Thomas More was a key figure during the reign of Henry VIII and played such an important role in shaping posterity's negative view of Richard III that the story of his family should have been a compelling one. Warm and cosy, 'Bildnis einer Unbekannten' wrapped its audiences in an eiderdown of romantic fiction while keeping them awake with a tremor of suspense. Despite being increasingly united by love, the distance between them increases as border security tightens. She sees Keller, who tries to make amends for the trouble he has caused. A real insight into the family of Thomas More and which delivers a real clanger of a surprise nearly half way through... Holbein’s paintings come to life... so much so I have to make a trip to the National Portrait Gallery to see for myself. However I'm pretty sure when I went to the Tower of London the tour guide said that they did discover the skeletons of two young boys in a chest. Ever wonder about the real story behind the Princes in the Tower? Keller, a painter, while at the ballet is impressed with the beauty of Nicole and sketches her head on the body of a nude model. Intelligent, headstrong, and tender-hearted, Meg has been schooled in the healing arts. As the Protestant Reformation sweeps across Europe to lap at England's shores, relations between her king and the Catholic Church begin to plummet-driven by Henry VIII's insatiable need for a male heir and the urgings of his cunning mistress Anne Boleyn-and heresy begins to take hold. But closer examination of the paintings reveals that the second holds several mysteries... Set against the turmoil, intrigue and, tragedy of Henry VIII's court, Portrait of an Unknown Woman vividly evokes sixteenth-century England on the verge of enormous change. Just googled 'John Clement Plantagenet prince' and you get a lot of results linked to Holbeins painting so maybe there is something there. She isn't conventionally beautiful like her sneaky adopted sister Elizabeth, but men of discernment fall for her immediately. Parisian girl. Title: Thomas More was a philosopher in King Henry VIII's court, during the Reformation. Please try again. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. London, early 18th century: Queen Anne, the last of the House of Stuart, is a weak ruler. The amazing way in which Vanora Bennett presents the story allows the reader to see both sides of the controversial issues facing Europe at that time and feel a deep sadness for both. As much as I ytry to be sure they undertand the amount of persecutuion that happened during that time in the name of God, this book makes it seem real. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Her true love is a man named John Clements, whom More hired a few years before to be a schoolmaster for his children. All the names of the intriguers at King Henry's court were hard to keep separate. Bavaria Studios, Bavariafilmplatz 7, Geiselgasteig, Grünwald, Bavaria, Germany, The Best TV Shows About Being in Your 30s. She has contributed to the Los Angeles Times, the Times Literary Supplement, The Times (London), and the BBC. Unable to add item to List. Frequently Asked Questions. Fantastic historical fiction! It made a wonderful companion on my runs. The book is about far more than a painting and a family, it includes a fanciful story of what may have happened to the Princes in the Tower. First there's the history, a time period I already find fascinating mainly because of how it changed the world/culture of religion. In the course of six years, Holbein will become a close friend to the More family and paint two nearly identical family portraits. He was a humanist, and ended up being a persecutor of Martin Luther's followers. This book was so difficult for me to read. Les Adams . The place in which this serviceable, interesting novel unfolds is the More household, a vast estate on the outskirts of London where his children, wards and visiting scholars mingle and talk freely about the new learning. For the 2020 holiday season, returnable items shipped between October 1 and December 31 can be returned until January 31, 2021. Portrait of an Unknown Woman Book Summary. Ever since I read the second book in Cynthia Harrod-Eagles', This book is based on a picture by Hans Nolbein, a portait of Thomas More and his family. Bennet skillfully works together the politics and everyday life of the period, and the dilemma faced by Meg Giggs, the adopted daughter of the More family, who is torn between her former tutor John Clement, and the young painter Hans Holbein, who visits the family. It was a bit too much like a soap opera and I'm not sure what the point of it was, but it was entertaining. It sends you back to Cardinal Wolsey swanning about in his crimson robes, sniffing a pomander to keep away the plague, and Erasmus's "In Praise of Folly," in which he remarks that the greatest possible proof of human folly is that after a woman has one baby, she goes right ahead and chooses to have another. To see what your friends thought of this book. A poor 22 y.o. More even stages his own arrest in front of the family at dinner, just so they will be better prepared when the moment comes. And then there is a satisfying examination of the career of Hans Holbein, artist-on-the-make, as he tries to deal with his commonplace, long-suffering wife while striving mightily to establish contacts with the great families of Europe in order to build his career. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. We also enjoyed learning about Hans Holbein. He wants to have a pass to get a job and start anew, but without a job ... See full summary ». April 3rd 2007 The story is effectively told from a variety of points of view (a young ward of More's called Meg. This FAQ is empty. Please try again. Keller, a painter, while at the ballet is impressed with the beauty of Nicole and sketches her head on the body of a nude model. Add the first question. Looking for something to watch? This FAQ is empty. Nicole resumes her singing career in nightclubs, and Keller agrees to help her get a divorce. Back in the day, Erasmus was a beloved houseguest, and soon Hans Holbein, the up-and-coming Continental artist, will be arriving to paint a portrait of More's extended family. You're not the only one.) The larger narrative here has to do with the increasingly hysterical religious infighting in London between Catholics and Protestants as Henry decides to marry Ann Boleyn and subdue the obstreperous Catholic segments of his population (with Sir Thomas More caught in the middle, and about to lose both his high position and his life). Set against the turmoil and tragedy of Henry VIII's court, Portrait of an Unknown Woman vividly evokes sixteenth-century England on the verge of enormous change—as viewed through the eyes of Meg Giggs, More's intelligent, tenderhearted, headstrong adopted daughter, who stands at the center of this sweeping, extraordinary epic.