The “Mother of Wales”

What is the first thing you see in the painting? What can we learn about this woman from looking at her portrait?

This is a portrait of a lady called Katheryn of Berain

The painting has been attributed to the artist Van Cronenburgh

Van Cronenburgh ( ) He was originally from Friesland in the Netherlands. It is believed he received his artistic training in Antwerp or Bruges. Katheryn’s portrait was probably painted in 1568 in Antwerp, when living there with her second husband, Sir Richard Clough. The British upper classes chose Dutch artists to paint their portraits as they were more skilled and better trained than their British counterparts.

Katheryn of Berain ( ) Katheryn was born into wealth and was the great granddaughter of King Henry VII and second cousin to Queen Elizabeth I. Berain was her home in North Wales. Katheryn was later known as ‘Mam Cymru’, the ‘Mother of Wales’, because of her vast number of descendants. Katheryn married 4 times, to men who were rich and influential in Welsh affairs. Her six children went on to found several dynasties of the Welsh upper classes. It was not uncommon to marry several times in Elizabethan times to preserve the family wealth by producing heirs. Katheryn’s story has been one of the great romances of North Wales which poets and writers have been inspired to write about.

Artists used objects to represent things – symbols with added meanings. A richly bound prayer book with a lock What are these objects and why do you think Katheryn is holding them? A skull

Skulls frequently appeared as a symbol of death – to make us think about the short time we live on earth.

Look carefully at these patterns. Where did you see them on Katheryn? Can you copy them? sleeve collar Chain around her waist wrist

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder Pale skin was seen as a sign of beauty and wealth – peasants had tanned skin! Ladies started applying whitening make-up in Elizabethan times. Ladies even plucked their hairlines to widen their foreheads.

Light and shade Which areas are light? What happens if light and shade are reversed? Light and shade is in strong contrast

Now find out about “La Parisienne” or find out more about my painting by looking at “Face to Face”