Fitzsimmons of Devon, in southwest England, plans to give the sixteenth-century hawk to Hampton Court Palace, where the wooden bird would have adorned Boleyn’s private quarters on long-term loan. He said he was delighted to make the discovery after linking the bird to a drawing of Hampton Court Palace. Analysis of the bird against the drawing confirmed his intuition.
“It’s a really amazing find because Anne Boleyn is probably the most famous woman of all time,” Fitzsimmons told CNN. “And Henry VIII did his best to completely erase any trace of it. All traces of it were removed from the palace, and nothing remains,” he added, “It’s really wonderful because it In perfect shape. State and has all its original gilding, all its original painting.
Henry VIII famously broke with the Catholic Church in 1533 to divorce his first wife Catherine to marry Boleyn. But three years later, he accused Boleyn of adultery, adultery and conspiracy and ordered his death.
A 19th-century painting depicting the first meeting between Henry VIII of England and Anne Boleyn. Credit: Heritage Images / Hilton Fine Art Collection / Getty Images
Fitzsimmons said that while the striking value of the Bolina bird is remarkable, the most important thing is to make sure it “gets back to the right place where it should be.”
“He really has to go back to Hampton Court Palace,” Fitzsimmons said of Henry VIII’s favorite residence. “Yes it costs a lot. But it’s not about value,” he added.
Historian Tracey Borman, chief curator of historic royal palaces, the charity that manages Hampton Court Palace, told CNN that she too was excited by the discovery of Boleyn’s wooden hawk.
“This discovery is very important. Artifacts related to Anne Boleyn are incredibly rare, thanks to the fact that Henry VIII wanted to remove all traces of her from his palaces after her execution in 1536,” Bormann said.
Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII of England. Credit: Hilton/Getty Images Archive
Bormann explained that the bird “is very similar to other carvings in the Grand Hall at Hampton Court in preparation for her becoming queen and may have been part of a decorative scheme. The carving is very fine and the restoration works has placed the discovered beautiful gold that suggests it. It was…