Thursday 1 October 2009

The real Henry VIII


The real Henry VIII. Nothing like Jonathan Rhys Meyers!

7 comments:

Youth of Australia said...

Yeah, cause a painting can't POSSIBLY be exaggerated...

To quote Blackadder III,

all portraits look the same these days, 'cause they're painted to a romantic ideal rather than as a true depiction of the idiosycratic facial qualities of the person in question.

Richard Curtis wrote that. He's also writing for Season 5. Therefore, Curtis is the greater authority than you.

sparacus said...

If anything, the painting is likely to be flattering. Henry would have been less attractive.

Youth of Australia said...

It all depends on what was considered attractive at the time. Isn't that one of the main reasons why one of his marriages didn't work out? It's too early in the morning for me to recall perfectly, but one of his early wives he decided to marry entirely based on a portrait - BIG mistake there...

This is continuing the tradition of false advertising and caveat emptor. I'm surprised you don't approve.

Bernie Fishnotes said...

Yep, that was Anne of Cleves. He nicknamed her the Flemish Mare!

Although they did stay friends after the divorce, he liked her, just not in that way...

Youth of Australia said...

A potent warning about mail-order brides, right there.

Bernie Fishnotes said...

By that argument, you'd not only be ripped off, but end up marrying an 19 year old with wandering loins...

Youth of Australia said...

Describes most Chatham characters.