The Anne Boleyn Files

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

The Faithful Catherine of Aragon: (Original is Oil/Ink/Collage). The collage background is a reproduction of a letter Catherine wrote to the Pope, begging him to stop Henry from divorcing her and marrying Anne Boleyn. Catherine, a devout Catholic, fought for eight years to keep her marriage and her throne. Catherine holds a pomegranate, part of her family’s coat of arms and a symbol of fidelity.

Serena says: “I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

The Implacable Anne Boleyn: (Original is Acrylic/Collage). Anne was even more stubborn and determined than Catherine. Henry broke with the Roman Catholic Church mainly in order to marry Anne, with whom he was besotted. In time, he grew tired of Anne and of her failure to produce a male heir. Political factions successfully plotted against her and convinced Henry she had betrayed him with other men. She was beheaded for treason. Anne’s headdress is collaged from a reproduction of a letter to her from Henry, assuring her of his undying love. Anne was the mother of the great monarch, Queen Elizabeth I.

Serena says: “I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

Jane the Demure: (Original is Collage). Serena says “Henry had already started his affair with the quiet and unassuming Jane Seymour by the time Anne was executed. She had none of Anne’s unwelcome assertiveness and she succeeded in producing the required male heir, Edward. She died about two weeks after his birth, leaving Henry single again. My drawing was inspired by Holbein’s painting.

“I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

The Rejected Anne of Cleves: (Original is Acrylic/Collage). Serena says: “Henry was interested in marrying Anne of Cleves for political reasons. He sent portraitist Hans Holbein to her to paint her likeness. Holbein’s painting was quite flattering, so Anne was summoned. When she arrived, Henry found to his dismay that he was not at all attracted to her. He went ahead with the marriage and Anne’s coronation anyway. After a short time he decided he just couldn’t bear to be married to her. He divorced her, settling money and estates on her, and saying she would henceforth be “Our dear sister.” My rendition is adapted from that of Holbein, and perhaps shows Anne’s appearance more accurately.

“I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

The Ghost of Katherine Howard: (Original is Acrylic, Pen/Ink, Collage). Katherine Howard was a young cousin of Anne Boleyn. She met the same fate as Anne when Henry discovered, or was led to believe, that Katherine had been unfaithful. Here Katherine stands beside her mournful ghost, who is said to walk the halls of Hampton Court.

Serena says: “I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait by artist Serena Barton.

Catherine Parr, Survivor: (The original is Acrylic/Collage). A highly educated widow who had published books, Catherine survived Henry and went on to marry the man she loved, Tom Seymour, brother of the late Jane. Catherine’s necklace is inspired by Catherine’s rendering of her initials. (She spelled her name with a K).

Serena says: “I’ve been fascinated with the six wives since childhood. As an adult, I was surprised to learn that almost all of Henry’s wives were highly educated and were involved in matters of statecraft and the religious upheavals going on during his reign. This inspired me to create a series evoking these interesting women. Each wife’s portrait contains a number representing her place in the order of Henry’s marriages.”

An 11″ x 11″ signed repro of a portrait of Elizabeth I by artist Serena Barton.

Elizabeth the Resolute: Original is encaustic on wood panel.

Serena says: “The original portrait of the strong and shrewd Elizabeth I was done entirely in encaustic. Encaustic is a technique of painting with beeswax, damar resin, and pigment. My intention was to capture Elizabeth’s strong personality, inherited, no doubt, from both her parents.”

Reproductions are printed on Epson Premium Matte paper and are signed by the artist, Serena Barton.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the miniature by Lucas Horenbout. Ellen says “I had two choices to work from to make her portrait, young or mature. I choose mature because she was the matron at the time the marriage-divorce situation started. I also liked the original circular miniature shape and the Latin inscription in the background, which reminds us of her status as the tenacious Queen, full of principal, and devotion. She doesn’t have as much jewelry and fancy head ornamentation as the younger Queens as her status doesn’t need that kind of reminder.”

The Shrinky Dink is 1 3/4″ in diameter and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the Hever portrait of Anne Boleyn holding the rose. Ellen says:-

“This is the largest of all of my portraits. There is a really good image to work with and she is my favorite wife. I cannot see very well what the true colors are in the original portrait, so I chose a brownish burgundy that I felt was warm and serious looking. The muted purple background I feel adds more warmth and has enough red in it to work with the brown in her clothing and hair. I really like drawing the black lacework on the neckline.”

The Shrinky Dink is 3 1/4″ by 4″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the Holbein portrait of Jane Seymour. Ellen says:-

“Jane by far has the oddest-looking headdress of all the Queens! But I couldn’t fit the entire thing in the portrait. I wanted to show more of her jewelry than the black headdress. Her tight-lipped appearance is kind of severe to me so I gave her a softer look. Added to the fact that she died shortly after giving birth is so sad to me that I wanted her to look more peaceful.”

The Shrinky Dink is 2″ by 3″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the famous Holbein portrait. Ellen says:-

“To me Anne of Cleves was the most challenging portrait. I was very nervous about capturing the texture and weight of the fabric on her headdress and clothing. I love the lace, beadwork and colors in her garb. She has interesting eyes and appears very young and confident. I love the way she turned out!”

The Shrinky Dink is 1 3/4″ by 2 1/8″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the controversial portrait of Katherine Howard which hangs at Hever. Some do not believe it is Katherine, others argue that it is! Ellen says:-

“The original portrait of Katherine Howard doesn’t match the image of her that I have in my mind. She appears to know her fate already! She is wearing so much black on top of it all, but the white collar and headdress counter-balance the serious mood of her portrait. I can barely make out the colors in her clothing, so to break up so much of the black color, I brought out the brown in her dress. I didn’t paint the black shadow to the left of her face as the miniature would be too dark in mood.”

The Shrinky Dink is 1 3/4″ by 2 1/4″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the portrait of Katherine Parr by Master John. Ellen says:-

“To me, Katherine Parr is the winner of all the Queens! In my portrait of her, she is depicted very sure of her future. She appears to like having her portrait done and has all the time in the world. The gems on her dress, headdress and jewelry are full of wonderful pattern. So fun to draw! The gold and pearls reflect a lot of light and appear slightly 3 dimensional.”

The Shrinky Dink is 1 1/2″ by 2 1/4″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the beautiful portrait of the teenage Elizabeth by William Scrots. Ellen says:-

“In my portrait of Young Elizabeth, she appears young, smart and slightly suspicious. I really enjoy drawing the countless pearls and the pattern on her dress. I like the way she is wearing youthful red complementing the orange red of her hair. I painted the background a rich chocolate iridescent-brown that expresses a sober and serious minded young girl.”

The Shrinky Dink is 1 3/4″ by 2 1/4″ and this price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the coronation portrait of Elizabeth I. Ellen says:-
“To make this portrait of Queen Elizabeth I had to get her face right! I knew I could depict her royal costume and crown, but the eyes and mouth were important. I had to find the right point of a pen to do very fine lines. I never get tired of looking at this portrait. It is one that almost anyone can identify. The background color is the same on the Young Elizabeth. I would love to do other portraits of Elizabeth as Queen, as she is by far my most favorite Queen in the world!”

The price is for the Shrinky Dink by itself, we also do them mounted and framed. Be creative with your Shrinky Dink Queen – get her framed, pop a magnet or pin on the back, it’s up to you! Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the miniature by Lucas Horenbout. Ellen says:-
“I had two choices to work from to make her portrait, young or mature. I choose mature because she was the matron at the time the marriage-divorce situation started. I also liked the original circular miniature shape and the Latin inscription in the background, which reminds us of her status as the tenacious Queen, full of principal, and devotion. She doesn’t have as much jewelry and fancy head ornamentation as the younger Queens as her status doesn’t need that kind of reminder.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the Hever portrait of Anne Boleyn holding the rose. Ellen says:-

“This is the largest of all of my portraits. There is a really good image to work with and she is my favorite wife. I cannot see very well what the true colors are in the original portrait, so I chose a brownish burgundy that I felt was warm and serious looking. The muted purple background I feel adds more warmth and has enough red in it to work with the brown in her clothing and hair. I really like drawing the black lacework on the neckline.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 8″ x 10″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the Holbein portrait of Jane Seymour. Ellen says:-

“Jane by far has the oddest-looking headdress of all the Queens! But I couldn’t fit the entire thing in the portrait. I wanted to show more of her jewelry than the black headdress. Her tight-lipped appearance is kind of severe to me so I gave her a softer look. Added to the fact that she died shortly after giving birth is so sad to me that I wanted her to look more peaceful.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 8″ x 10″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the famous Holbein portrait. Ellen says:-

“To me Anne of Cleves was the most challenging portrait. I was very nervous about capturing the texture and weight of the fabric on her headdress and clothing. I love the lace, beadwork and colors in her garb. She has interesting eyes and appears very young and confident. I love the way she turned out!”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the controversial portrait of Katherine Howard which hangs at Hever. Some do not believe it is Katherine, others argue that it is! Ellen says:-

“The original portrait of Katherine Howard doesn’t match the image of her that I have in my mind. She appears to know her fate already! She is wearing so much black on top of it all, but the white collar and headdress counter-balance the serious mood of her portrait. I can barely make out the colors in her clothing, so to break up so much of the black color, I brought out the brown in her dress. I didn’t paint the black shadow to the left of her face as the miniature would be too dark in mood.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the portrait of Katherine Parr by Master John. Ellen says:-

“To me, Katherine Parr is the winner of all the Queens! In my portrait of her, she is depicted very sure of her future. She appears to like having her portrait done and has all the time in the world. The gems on her dress, headdress and jewelry are full of wonderful pattern. So fun to draw! The gold and pearls reflect a lot of light and appear slightly 3 dimensional.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the beautiful portrait of the teenage Elizabeth by William Scrots. Ellen says:-

“In my portrait of Young Elizabeth, she appears young, smart and slightly suspicious. I really enjoy drawing the countless pearls and the pattern on her dress. I like the way she is wearing youthful red complementing the orange red of her hair. I painted the background a rich chocolate iridescent-brown that expresses a sober and serious minded young girl.”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.

This incredible handmade Shrinky Dink portrait is made by artist Ellen Melchiondo and is based on the coronation portrait of Elizabeth I. Ellen says:-
“To make this portrait of Queen Elizabeth I had to get her face right! I knew I could depict her royal costume and crown, but the eyes and mouth were important. I had to find the right point of a pen to do very fine lines. I never get tired of looking at this portrait. It is one that almost anyone can identify. The background color is the same on the Young Elizabeth. I would love to do other portraits of Elizabeth as Queen, as she is by far my most favorite Queen in the world!”

Each shrinky dink is unique as they are handmade. Please choose the frame color you’d like.

Dimensions: 6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″.

Please see “More Details” for shipping information.