Hampton Court Palace has reopened with a new Tudor exhibition Gold and Glory: Henry VII and the French King. The exhibition will bring the opulence and spectacle of The Field of Cloth of Gold – Henry VIII’s legendary encounter with his great rival François I – to life at Hampton Court Palace.
Just over 500 years ago, in the summer of 1520, Henry VIII of England met François I of France near Calais, for a grand European festival, designed to improve relations between the two great rival kingdoms. The competing royal dynasties along with thousands of their courtiers enjoyed a lavish 18 days of feasts, tournaments, masquerades and religious services set amidst a sea of specially built tents, banqueting hoses and ‘portable palaces’. The occasion that it became known as ‘The Field of Cloth of Gold’.
As Hampton Court Palaces reopens to visitors – with a host of measures including hand sanitiser dispensers and social distancing signage – Historic Royal Palaces will be celebrating this legendary meeting of kings with a special exhibition exploring the drama, diplomacy and discord behind the spectacle. Originally scheduled to open in 2020, the exhibition will be situated at the heart of the Tudor palace, in the very rooms built for Cardinal Wolsey – Henry VIII’s Chief Minister and one of the principal organisers of The Field of Cloth of Gold.
Contrasting the regal pageantry with the story of those who toiled behind the scenes to make this grand vision a reality, the display will star a never-before-seen tapestry which shreds rare light on people of colour in the Tudor period. Manufactured in Tournai in the 1520s, the richly woven textile depicts a bout of wrestling at The Field of Cloth of Gold presided over by François I, and includes among the brace of royal musicians as a black trumpeter. This incredible object is one of only a handful of surviving early 16th-century visual representation of people of colour at the European royal courts and provides a window into the largely unknown world of the black Tudors.
Records show that European courts regularly employed people of colour in this period, and another black trumpeter named John Blanke appeared on Henry VII’s payroll during the early years of his reign, performing at a tournament held to mark the birth of a long-awaited – but ill-fated – son and heir. However, this tapestry is the only depiction of a black musician in attendance at The Field of Cloth of Gold. Believed to have been woven for one of François’s courtiers in memory of the event, the tapestry will go on public display for the first time in its history.
The exhibition will also feature a treasure trove of precious objects showcasing the opulence and sophistication of Tudor England and Valois France will unite priceless artworks, richly decorated textiles and finely crafted metalwork. Key items will include the spectacular Stonyhurst vestments – woven from luxurious cloth of gold and selected by Henry for use at the religious services held near Calais – and another of only a handful of the remaining depictions of the meeting produced in the 16th-century: a famous painting entitled The Field of the Cloth of Gold, on loan from the Royal Collection.
Meanwhile, outside the palace’s 60 acres of formal gardens, visitors can enjoy the same sense of space and tranquillity which made Hampton Court Palace of Henry VIII’s favourite places to escape from the city. For the summer season, a series of Henry VIII’s sculptures help bring the estate’s Tudor history to life, with jousters, gardeners and even a royal dog walker all waiting to be discovered.
Join Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, Dr Tracy Borman said, “The Field of Cloth of Gold was a hugely important moment, not just in the history of our most famous king, Henry VIII, but in the shaping of our national identity and the making of modern Europe. In bringing together a host of treasures relating to this iconic meeting, this unique exhibition will reveal the fascinating story of the people and politics that lay behind it. This is Tudor history at its most dramatic, dazzling best.”
This exhibition will be included in admission to Hampton Court Palace. Advance booking will be required to help Historic Royal Palaces manage capacity and to allow everyone to enjoy their visit. Group organisers can book timed tickets via the Historic Royal Palaces website. If you have a Travel Trade account, you can book your time slot via the B2B portal.
Find out more about the exhibition, or contact the team via email.
