Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI - Denver Art Museum

Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Hans Holbein the Younger, 1538
Overview
Lesson Plan
In PraIse of Me!
Elementary
(Grades K–5)
Hans HolbeIn tHe Younger’s
Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Students will learn about the history of the portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales and the inscribed
praise poem. They will then write praise poems for their own portraits.
Age Group
Elementary (grades K–5)
CMCS
Visual Arts
Standard 1: Students recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication.
Standard 2: Students know and apply elements of art, principles of design, and sensory and
expressive features of visual arts.
Standard 3: Students know and apply visual arts materials, tools, techniques, and processes.
Standard 4: Students relate the visual arts to various historical and cultural traditions.
Standard 5: Students analyze and evaluate the characteristics, merits, and meaning of works
of art.
Reading and Writing
Standard 2: Students write and speak for a variety of purposes and audiences.
Standard 3: Students write and speak using conventional grammar, usage, sentence structure,
punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
Standard 4: Students apply thinking skills to their reading, writing, speaking, listening, and
viewing.
Length of Lesson
One 50-minute lesson
Rationale
Making comparisons between the Edward, Prince of Wales portrait and photographic portraits of
themselves (and the praise poems that accompany the portraits) broadens students’ awareness
that a work of art records and reflects the era in which it was made. It also teaches them that
they can draw upon past work to inspire their own creativity.
In PraIse of Me!
Hans HolbeIn tHe Younger’s Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Denver art MuseuM

Objectives
Students will be able to:
Materials
Lesson
• state when the painting was made and describe three things about that era;
• explain the purpose of the painting and the praise poem;
• describe the difference between the Edward, Prince of Wales portrait and portraits of
themselves; and
• use what they learn about praise poems to write one related to their own portrait.
• One or more photographs of each child as a toddler or preschooler (brought from
home)
• A bag of Skittles or similar non-dairy candy
• Lined paper and pens or pencils for each student
Included:
• About the Art sheet on Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
• One color copy of the painting for every four students, or the ability to project the image
onto a wall or screen
1. Warm-up: Have students sit in a circle. Pass around the bag of Skittles and tell the
students to take some. Encourage them to use their judgment when choosing how
many Skittles to take, remembering that everyone needs to get some, and to not eat
them until you say it’s okay. After all of the students have taken some Skittles, tell
them that they have to share one thing about themselves for every Skittle they’ve
taken. Start with yourself to model, and then go around the circle allowing everyone to
share.
2. Talk about how the students chose what to share. Did they share what was most
important to them? Was it about who they are or their families? Was it about what
they own or what they like to do?
3. Show students the portrait of Edward, Prince of Wales and read the praise poem
(found in the Things to Look For Section of the About the Art sheet). Discuss the key
elements of the poem and talk about how the portrait reflects the sense of power
and responsibility conveyed in the poem. What mattered to this family? What did the
praise poem share that was different from what the students shared in the Skittle
activity? What was similar?
4. Tell students they are going to write a praise poem for the pictures of themselves
that they brought in. The poem should reflect what the picture conveys. Should they
receive praise for athletic prowess; creative clothing choices; an amazing sense of
humor; etc.? Should it focus on their family? Possessions? For younger students, you
may want to write a praise poem as a class based on a class photo.
5. Have students edit their poems with their peers before writing a final draft. Allow the
students to display their portraits and read their praise poems to the class.
In PraIse of Me!
Hans HolbeIn tHe Younger’s Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Denver art MuseuM

Edward, Prince of Wales, Later King Edward VI
Hans Holbein the Younger, 1538
About the Art
Hans Holbein tHe Younger’s
Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Who Made It?
Hans Holbein [HOLE-bine] the Younger was born in Augsburg, Germany, and is considered
the most important portrait painter in England during the Reformation, a time when Christian
ideals changed greatly. His father, Hans Holbein the Elder, was also an artist and gave Holbein
his first art lessons. Hobein married and lived as an adult in Basel, Switzerland, but as the
Protestant Reformation grew and religious images were being smashed and burned, it became
increasingly difficult to succeed as an artist. Holbein moved to England, where his reputation for
highly skilled and dignified portraiture preceded him, and he became the official painter to King
Henry VIII beginning in 1536. In addition to painting royal portraits, he also traveled in Europe
with a writer, assigned the unwelcome task of returning with portraits and written descriptions
of potential brides for the king, to whom attractiveness was highly important. Through his
meticulous technique, Holbein achieved remarkable realism in details and, despite his emotional
remove, some sense of individual character. He died of plague in his forties, but his artistic
influence was significant—English portraits were patterned on his style for almost a century after
his death.
What Inspired It?
Prince Edward was about 14 months old when Holbein painted this portrait of him. Edward
was born to Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, in 1537. When she died two weeks
after giving birth, King Henry was devastated. In addition to getting all of his father’s affection,
the prince received a rigorous education and carried the weight of his father’s expectations for
him to succeed him on the throne and champion his cause of consolidating the Reformation.
Though he was a frail child with weak eyesight and periodic deafness, he appears healthy and
robust in his portraits. Edward was nine years old when he was crowned King of England and
Ireland after his father’s death. Although guided by a council of advisors, Edward showed strong
interest in religious policy, and just as his father had hoped, his reign furthered his father’s
cause. Edward’s accomplishments were cut short, though, when he died of tuberculosis at the
age of 15.
Things to Look For
Pose
Holbein’s challenge was to make a baby look like a king. Prince Edward
sits up straight, looking down slightly at the viewer, and holds his hand up
in an intelligent gesture of speaking, of benediction (like a bishop or Christ
himself), or perhaps acknowledging the cheers of his adoring subjects.
The young boy holds a golden rattle in his left hand, like the scepter he’s
expected to hold one day. His control of his arms and head make him seem
older.
Hans Holbein tHe Younger’s Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Denver art MuseuM

Fancy Clothes
Prince Edward is dressed in a very formal adult-like outfit. He is wearing
a red velvet tunic and a fancy hat tied under his chin, both of which have
elaborate gold details. The detail on his gold brocade sleeves shows off the
artist’s impressive control of his paintbrush.
Setting
Holbein has placed Prince Edward behind a parapet draped with a dark
green cloth. This separates the space between the royal child and the
viewer, and also creates the perfect spot to place an inscription.
The Inscription
The inscription at the bottom of the painting is a poem in Latin written by Sir
Richard Morison. Translation:
Little one, emulate thy father and be the heir of his virtue; the world
contains nothing greater. Heaven and earth could scarcely produce
a son whose glory would surpass that of a father. Do thou but equal
the deeds of thy parent, and men can ask no more. Shouldst thou
surpass him, thou has outstript all, nor shall any surpass thee in
ages to come.
Such inscriptions were not uncommon, especially for royal paintings like
this one. The King commissioned the portrait not just to have a likeness
of his son, but also to serve propaganda purposes, promoting his royal
dynasty and his causes. The words flatter the king, communicate his power,
and lend validity to his Reformation causes. They also convey the high
expectations held for the child.
Ostrich Feather
The curve of the white ostrich feather that tops the boy’s hat complements
the gesture young Edward makes with his right hand, creating balance in
the composition.
Shadow
The shadow cast by the young boy onto the blue background creates a
sense of real space.
Hans Holbein tHe Younger’s Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Denver art MuseuM

Faded Indigo
The dark blue bands that line the sides of this painting indicate that the
image is not displayed in its original frame. Indigo pigment fades in light,
meaning those darker areas were once covered by a frame of slightly
narrower dimensions. The dark blue areas show the original background
color.
Hans Holbein tHe Younger’s Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI
Denver art MuseuM

Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI, Hans Holbein the Younger and Studio, 1538
Long-term Loan from the Berger Collection, TL-17308
Photograph © Denver Art Museum 2009. All Rights Reserved.