Margaret Holsewyther facts for kids

Margaret Holsewyther (born around 1504 – died after 1560) was a talented English artist. She specialized in painting tiny, detailed portraits called miniatures. Margaret worked for the kings and queens of England during the Tudor period. It was often hard to know exactly which paintings were hers. This is because her husbands were paid for her artwork. She worked for four different monarchs and had three husbands during her long career.

Life of a Royal Artist

Margaret Holsewyther was likely born in England in 1504. She became a very important painter of miniatures.

First Marriage and Studio Work

Around 1525, Margaret married Lucas Horenbout. He was an artist from a place called Ghent. Lucas came to England in September 1525. The King paid him as a "pictor maker," which means a painter. By 1531, Lucas was called the "King's Painter." This job was confirmed for his whole life in 1534. He became a naturalized citizen, meaning he was officially an English citizen.

Lucas Horenbout earned a lot of money. He, Margaret, and their daughter, Jacquemine, lived in a house in Charing Cross, London. Their art studio had four foreign helpers. Lucas died in London and was buried at Saint Martin in the Fields. He left his studio to Margaret and their daughter. Margaret received two-thirds of the studio, and her daughter received one-third. For many years after Lucas died, the studio continued to be paid. Queen Katherine Parr paid for miniatures that Margaret likely created.

New Marriages and Continued Artistry

The studio kept selling paintings after Lucas's death. Three years later, Queen Katherine Parr paid sixty shillings for some paintings. Margaret then married again. Her new husband was Hugh Haward. Within months, Hugh was paid another sixty shillings for paintings of the King and Queen. However, there is no proof that Hugh Haward was a painter himself. This suggests Margaret was still the main artist.

Margaret Holsewyther and her studio created many miniature paintings. These included portraits of Queen Katherine Parr. They also painted the future King Edward VI. Katherine Parr often gave these small portraits as gifts. She used them like calling cards to influence people. It is believed that Katherine Parr employed three women miniature painters. These artists were Susannah Hornebolt, Levina Teerlinc, and Margaret Holsewyther.

Margaret married for a third time on November 18, 1560. Her previous husband had left his property to her. She married Hans or John Hunt, who was an armourer. He worked for Queen Elizabeth I. We do not know the exact details of Margaret's death.

Discovering Hidden Artists

Recent studies have helped uncover the stories of women artists. Margaret Holsewyther and other wives of Tudor artists are now being recognized. These women often ran art studios. For a long time, it was not clear if these wives were just business owners or if they also painted. Research is helping to show that many of them were indeed talented artists.