During our exhibition ‘A Michaelmas Pageant’ staged at Blickling Hall in Norfolk during 2015, we were delighted to have included a little portrait inscribed Anne Bullen and given the age of 14 years. As historians know, Blicking is reputed to be the birth place of Anne Boleyn the second wife of Henry VIII. Whilst it is unlikely that a genuine portrait of the young Anne Boleyn should exist outside of a major public or private collection, it was intriguing to have had the little panel on display in order to hear the many comments and the conjecture as to whether or not it could have survived the centuries.
The little portrait was, in part, inspirational to the Jeweller, Alison Bradley MA RCA. Alison created a suite of pieces in tune with the spirit of Blickling, her personal response to the place. Within her collection, a pendant of gold, garnet, diamond and pearl that evoked the very piece around Anne Bullen’s neck.
The Red Dot is delighted to announce that the little portrait will be on loan to the gallery later in the year. With this in mind we have invited Alison to exhibit a selection of her work to, once again, complement the alluring portrait.