Lucas de Heere, you have probably seen his paintings if you’ve been looking at Tudor history for more than say a minute. I want to talk a little bit about his life and some of his less famous paintings that you may not have seen.
Lucas de Heere only lived for 50 years, but during that time he left lasting records of Tudor clothing and spaces that have been invaluable in recreating the world of the Tudors and Elizabethans.
Born in Ghent, his father was a sculptor, and his mother was a miniaturist. For the first 30 years or so of his life, everything was normal. He studied in Antwerp. Came back to Ghent where he started a school. Got married to Eleonore Carboniers.
Then it all went to crap for him when the Spanish Netherlands, who were mostly Protestant (like de Heere himself) revolted against Philip II. This of course is the war that later on Sir Philip Sidney would die in the story that he was fighting in the Spanish Netherlands. He got wounded and he gave up his flask of water to someone saying that that person’s need was greater than his, and it’s very romantic.
So this is that fight that was going on, and it was partially a proxy war between England and Spain because Elizabeth was giving money to the Spanish Netherlands to revolt against them because it was keeping the Spanish army busy fighting in the Netherlands.
De Heere and his family became refugees of that war. In 1568 he went to France where he designed tapestries. Then he went to England where he worked for Edward Clinton, 1st Earl of Lincoln to paint a gallery, and also draw the costumes and clothings of various nations.
After the Pacification of Ghent in 1576, he was able to return home, if only for a while. He was once again forced to leave the city in 1584, when Ghent surrendered to Spanish Habsburg forces. He died on 29 August, 1589.
Let’s take a look at some of Lucas De Heere’s work:
De Heere did give us some famous portraits – like the famous Family of Henry VII, an allegory of the Tudor Succession. From the National Museum of Wales:
“Elizabeth is on the right, holding the hand of Peace and followed by Plenty. Her father Henry VIII, the founder of the Church of England, sits on his throne, and passes the sword of justice to his Protestant son Edward VI. On the left are Elizabeth’s Catholic half-sister and predecessor Mary I and her husband Philip II of Spain, with Mars, the God of War. The picture, a gift from Queen Elizabeth to Sir Francis Walsingham, exemplifies the 16th century’s fascination with allegory, the Queen’s vision of herself as the culmination of the Tudor dynasty and her concern with the legitimacy of her regime.”
This picture was a gift from Queen Elizabeth to Sir Francis Walsingham, exemplifies the 16th-century fascination with allegory. The Queen’s vision of herself as a culmination of the Tudor dynasty and her concern with the legitimacy of her regime.
De Heere also painted for us a very famous painting of Mary I and Philip II of Spain when they were still married. Look at those cute little two doggies down there, they’re so cute. I don’t know if they’re life-size or what the scale is with that. But it’s something. Mary there’s also holding the Tudor rose. So that’s kind of interesting.
But the thing that Lucas de Heere really left us with was a glimpse into everyday life that we don’t get from other painters. Check out this drawing from the mid-16th century of London gentlewomen. We see different classes of London gentlewomen. Look at that one holding the dead chicken or whatever that is.
Or this: Two English peers, one in Parliamentary robes and one in the robes of the Order of the Garter with a halberdier in the livery of Elizabeth I, 1567.
And here is a picture of an Irish woman and girl, circa 1575. Remember, Ireland at this time wasn’t as close to England as it is now – it was a colony, and the English believed it was inhabited by people who needed civilizing, much like the Americas. So studying their costume was an important part of documenting their culture.
He also traveled in England, and leaves us with this very first drawing of Stonehenge:
Check out this one of a Venetian courtesan:
And how amazing is this – a Turkish soldier and his wife:
Or this one, of his hometown, Ghent, painted around 1562:
Just a couple more – a Deli horseman:
And a Savage Scotsman – his title, not mine!
Together this collection of costumes and clothing leaves us with a vivid picture of how people dressed in the 16th century throughout much of Europe, India, and Turkey, and give us insight into the impressions that they left. What a legacy!
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Heather Teysko is the creator, writer, and producer of The Renaissance English History Podcast,  the original Tudor history podcast, started in 2009. She's been writing about history online for over 25 years, since her first site on Colonial American history became number one in history on Yahoo in 1998. In 2019 she created Tudorcon, which is now a yearly event, in addition to writing books, and running TudorFair.com - a whimsical Tudor Merch shop. She has been passionate about Tudor England since she first read Alison Weir's The Six Wives of Henry VIII 20 years ago, and subsequently moved to London after college to spend her time immersed in Tudor history.