Lost Portrait of Lady Jane Grey? New Evidence Unveiled

Could This Be the Lost Face of Lady Jane Grey?

So, there's this newly discovered painting. It's been tucked away, completely overlooked, for ages. And now? It might just be the *only* known portrait of Lady Jane Grey, the "Nine Days Queen," painted while she was actually alive. Crazy, right? Researchers used super-advanced technology – the kind that makes you feel like you're in a sci-fi movie – to examine it. They think this previously unattributed artwork actually *is* the teenage queen who ruled for a measly nine days in 1553 before… well, before her execution. This completely changes what we thought we knew about images of this tragic figure. It's seriously shaking things up in the art and history worlds.

A Tudor Mystery Revealed

A team from English Heritage – historians and art conservators – really dug into this painting. They used dendrochronology (tree-ring dating, sounds fancy, huh?) to date the wooden panel. Turns out, it was made sometime between 1539 and 1571. That strongly suggests it was painted during Lady Jane's lifetime. Then, using infrared reflectography, they saw something incredible: significant changes to the original image. They found that someone had deliberately scratched out the sitter's eyes, mouth, and ears! It's wild, and it suggests possible religious or political iconoclasm. Weirdly, the same kind of damage is on another supposed portrait of Lady Jane at the National Portrait Gallery. This whole thing is getting pretty spooky.

Rethinking the Famous Images

For centuries, everyone's known Paul Delaroche's 1833 painting, "The Execution of Lady Jane Grey." It’s dramatic, emotional... but it was painted long after she died. This new portrait, which is currently on loan to Wrest Park, gives us a completely different perspective, a possible glimpse into how she might have actually looked when she was alive. What might she have been thinking?

The Science Speaks

The research team, a collaboration between English Heritage and the Courtauld Institute of Art, used infrared reflectography again. This time, they uncovered alterations to the sitter's clothing – changes to her sleeves, the addition of a white scarf. They also found that her eyes were originally looking to the right, but were later changed to look left. These changes hint at a deliberate attempt to shift the young queen's image, perhaps presenting her more as a subdued Protestant martyr. It's almost like a deliberate erasure of her identity.

A Strong Case, But Not Quite Proof

The researchers themselves admit that we can't say for 100% certain it’s her. But the evidence is really compelling. The dating of the panel, the alterations to the portrait, and the similarities to other – later – depictions of Lady Jane make this a huge deal for historians and art lovers alike. The painting is on display at Wrest Park, offering a fascinating opportunity to see it firsthand and form your own opinion. It's a truly remarkable discovery, regardless of whether it’s definitely her. It leaves you wondering, doesn’t it?