2nd October 2018
A tapestry commissioned by Henry VIII and thought to have been lost has been rediscovered and is currently on display at the Franses Gallery in London until 19th October.
‘The Burning of the Books’ was commissioned by Henry in the 1530s to hang at Hampton Court Palace. It was part of a series that depicted the life of Saint Paul, and this particular tapestry shows Saint Paul directing the burning of pagan books. For Henry, it was symbolic of his own power – this was around the time of the Act of Supremacy, establishing Henry as the supreme head of the church. Henry had the authority to destroy anything he considered corrupt or ungodly, and he soon used this authority in the dissolution of the monasteries.
This is a magnificent display of Tudor tapestry and definitely something to see if you are in London – for further details visit the Franses website, linked below.
http://www.franses.com/2018/09/24/loan-exhibition-henry-viii-the-unseen-tapestries/