Portrait of Anne Fernely, pendant to Sir Thomas Gresham

Anne Fernely was the wife of Sir Thomas Gresham, and this portrait, paired with the Rijksmuseum panel of her husband, was painted by Antonis Mor in 1563 as a classic example of pendant portraiture — the paired format that declared marital unity while allowing each sitter individual pictorial space. Anne Fernely was herself from a wealthy English family and the pair's decision to commission Mor, the pre-eminent court portraitist of the day, represents a statement of cultural ambition on the part of English merchants seeking equality with the continental nobility they encountered in Antwerp's financial world. The Hermitage canvas is slightly looser in handling than the companion panel, as was conventional — male sitters typically received the more formally refined execution, while female pendants sometimes allowed more warmth.

Canvas support required Mor to apply a carefully prepared ground to achieve the smooth finish expected of portrait painting. The lace and brocade details are executed with precise, controlled brushwork while the flesh passages have a characteristically smooth finish. The slightly warmer palette compared with the Gresham pendant may reflect deliberate differentiation of gendered representation.