1 14 Painters in the Reign of Henry VIIL 



" two, one of them fbould be at his ma- 

 " jelly's fervice. * 



Holbein was next difpatched by Crom- 

 well to draw the lady Anne of Cleve, 

 and by practicing the common flattery of 

 his profeflion, was the immediate caufe of 

 the defcrudlion of that great fubjedV, and of 

 the difgrace that fell on the princefs herfelf. 

 He drew fo favorable a f likenefs, that 



• Vertue faw a whole length of this princefs at Mr. 

 Howard's in Soho-fquare. Such a pidure is mentioned 

 to have been in the royal coUedions. 



t This very pifture, as is fuppofed, was in the pof- 

 feflion of Mr. Barrett of Kent, whofe colleftion was fold 

 a few years ago, but the family referved this and fome 

 other curiofities. The print among the illuftrious 

 heads is taken from it ; and fo far juftifies the king, 

 that he certainly was not nice, if from that pifture he 

 concluded her handfome enough. It has fo little beauty, 

 that I (hould doubt of it's being the very portrait in 

 queftion — it rather feems to have been drawn after 

 Holbein faw a little with the king's eyes. 



I have fince feen that pitflure in the cabinet of the 

 prefent Mr. Barrett of Lee, and think it the moll ex- 

 quifitely perfeft of all Holbein's works, as well as ia 

 the highcll prefervation. The print gives a very ina- 

 dequate idea of it, and none of her Flemifh fairhefs. It 

 is preferved in the ivory box in which it came over, and 

 which reprefents a rofe fo delicately carved as to b^ 

 worthy of the jewel it contains. 



Henry 



