What Holbein & Lockey Captured in The Family of Sir Thomas More: A Family “furnished for the whole scope of human life”

Abstract

This article explores the striking differences between the predominantly religious scene in Holbein’s 1526/27 Basel drawing of the More family and the predominantly secular scene found in the Holbein/Lockey 1530/1593 oil portrait of the More family found at Nostell Priory. This paper suggests a reading of both works of art, including an interpretation for the choice of the specific books by Seneca and Boethius in the Nostell Priory portrait. It also reviews the history of the portrait, indicating that Holbein probably began this oil painting, or at least prepared the canvas, and that Lockey completed it as a faithful imitation of the original.