Holbein in England - Tate Britain

Spent an enjoyable hour or so wandering round the Holbein in England exhibition at the Tate Britain this afternoon. A mix of oils, chalks and pen and ink, mainly portraits but with some sketches for decorative items and some books, a nice selection representing his years in London. Of course, working at the court of Henry VIII gave him an interesting clientelle, at least some of whom we're all familiar with and clothes and costumes that we recognise.

The thing that struck me was how I was responding to his portraits, and that was on a personal level - did he or she look like a nice person? would I have a good chat with them if we met? would I like them as people? I don't normally respond like that to portraits but his are so lifelike that the character starts seeping through, 450 years vanishes and the sitter is in the same space as me.

My favourite portrait is Mary Wooton, Lady Guildford. That face says it all to me. I'd be happy to sit with her in her drawing room having a good old chat over tea and cakes (I'm sure there'd be cakes) or maybe meet her out shopping and she'd tell all the latest news about her kids. I suspect she'd enjoy a tipple now and again, maybe a sherry or a snowball, and be quite fun after a couple of drinks, and that's when she'd tell tales about her husband.

I also like this portrait of Simon George, of whom nothing much seems to be known except that this appears to be a portrait celebrating his betrothal. I like him. I like his hat. I like his shirt. He's dressed in his Sunday best because that's what you do when a famous painter starts sketching you and then paints you. His hair is carefully cut and combed and his beard is well trimmed. He looks like a nice man. I hope he kept his wife happy and had lots of kids.

I also like Sir Thomas Wyatt. O yes, a man after my own heart. He looks a bit of a boozer to me and I bet he could tell a good story in his cups. I like the way his hat is tilted and Holbein adds a few whisps of hair that suggest a receding hairline - is Thomas hiding something? Of course, Thomas Wyatt is a great poet and got caught up in court intrigues. I had a lovely slim volume of his poetry when I was at college and I liked his poems. I've got no idea where that book is now but it would be nice to sit with him over a glass of wine and have him tell me about some of the conquests he wrote about in verse.

Go and see this exhibition if you can - it's on until January so there's not much time but make it a Christmas treat for yourself.