Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI

Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VI, was painted by Holbein around 1538 when the prince — son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour — was still an infant. The painting presents the young heir to the Tudor throne in full royal costume, the colors of England surrounding a child barely old enough to stand. Holbein's royal child portraits are remarkable for their ability to suggest the dual nature of the sitter: a real child within the scaffolding of dynastic representation. The inscribed Latin verse at the painting's base enjoins Edward to rival his father in all virtues. Edward VI, who died at fifteen, would preside over England's Protestant reformation during his brief reign.

The portrait is rendered with psychological penetration that characterizes Hans Holbein the Younger's best work. Oil on canvas provides a rich ground for the subtle gradations of flesh tone and the textural contrasts between skin, fabric, and background that give the image its convincing presence.