Margaret Roper (Margaret More, 1505–1544)

Margaret Roper (Margaret More, 1505–1544) by Hans Holbein the Younger is a significant portrait created circa 1535-1536. This intimate depiction of one of the most learned women of the Tudor era is executed with remarkable delicacy, utilizing black and colored chalks, pen, and ink on vellum laid on a playing card. Younger often employed such unique supports for preparatory studies or small-scale, highly finished works, allowing for the minute detail and precision that characterize his best portraiture. The unconventional medium emphasizes the skill required to achieve such depth of character and texture on a diminutive scale.

Margaret Roper was celebrated across Europe for her extensive classical education and profound knowledge of Latin and Greek, accomplishments highly unusual for women in the sixteenth century. As the devoted eldest daughter of Sir Thomas More, her image holds particular historical resonance, dating to the critical period following her father’s political downfall and execution. Younger was deeply embedded within the intellectual circles of the More family during his time in England, and this piece likely relates to his comprehensive plans for a multi-figure group portrait of the family, a composition now largely known through surviving preparatory drawings.

This powerful work successfully conveys the sitter's intellectual dignity, demonstrating Younger's mastery in capturing psychological nuance. The classification of the piece rests between a formal miniature and a refined drawing, showcasing the versatility required of the artist at the court of Henry VIII. Today, this vital piece of Tudor portraiture, reflecting the important role of educated women in the period, is housed within the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection.