Photo: Nonsuch Palace, as painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1572. credit: Christie's
Posted on 11/09/2010 6:45:40 PM PST by SunkenCiv
It was among Henry VIII's grandest undertakings: a castle to outshine the castle of his rival, King Francois I of France. And so it was named "Nonsuch," as in no other palace could ever equal its magnificence.
But, after taking eight years to construct, the Nonsuch Palace would end up standing for less than 150 years. In the 1680s, the grand estate fell into disrepair and was lost to history.
This is why this 1572 watercolor by the Flemish painter Joris Hoefnagel, the earliest known image of the palace, is estimated to fetch around $1.9 million. According to Christie's auction house, which is selling the work, the painting is one of just a handful of direct depictions of Nonsuch.
"Not only is it one of the earliest British watercolors and a work of art of immense beauty, but it is also the most exact pictorial record of Henry VIII's great commission, Nonsuch Palace," said Benjamin Peronnet, director and International Head of Old Master and 19th Century Drawings at Christie's said in a statement.
In fact, Henry VIII died before the palace was completely finished. It was then sold to an Earl, then returned to royal hands when it was given to Elizabeth I in settlement of a debt. Eventually it was granted to a countess (rumored to be a king's mistress) in 1670 who had built up gambling debts. In order to pay her collectors, the countess had the palace dismantled and then sold off its raw materials.
By 1690, the palace was all but gone and its former fabulous appearance nearly forgotten.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.discovery.com ...
Photo: Nonsuch Palace, as painted by Joris Hoefnagel in 1572. credit: Christie's
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Yes, very sad. The 1680s housing bubble did it in. The easy money. Wild speculative prices and then boom! It all unwinds. History just keeps repeating itself.
Is the site known? Are there any remnants?
That’s one huge ship beside the castle. How it’s supposed to float down that little bitty river is beyond me.
Perspective painting got figured out later, apparently...
They just don’t make ‘em like they use too ...
Yes. Painted by that quintessential Englishman, Joris Hoefnagel.
:’)
Louis Alma-Tadema was a quintessential artist of Victorian England, yet he was Dutch.
The construction cost a fortune, and was one of the many dalliances and whims that characterized Henry VIII. He had a real problem being taken seriously, because of his apostasy / protestantism / schism / whatever; one argument he made was that he was better qualified to lead the church in England than was the Pope of that time, having been groomed for the office of Archbishop of Canterbury, where he would have been his elder brother (Arthur)’s right hand. His brother died young, and VIII had to be moved into the position of ruler. And I’d hazard a guess that he wouldn’t have been all that celibate as the A of C anyway. :’)
The cannon on ships of the time were bronze, and they weren’t too reliable, and couldn’t be fired very often, and had a habit of bursting and killing everyone nearby. Because of VIII, the English navy had iron cannon first, and it laid the groundwork for the mighty (and sometimes overrated) British navy of subsequent centuries. Naval warfare was revolutionized, and kept Britain from successful foreign invasion to this day. William of Orange was German, but he was married to Mary II, and had been selected by Parliament to drive out James II.
Anyway, some of VIII projects were spectacular flops, and this palace is an example of it. There are probably foundation stones, unless the whole works was built on pilings driven into the soft ground.
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Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace rebuilt in miniature
Past Horizons | Wednesday, September 7, 2011 | unattributed
Posted on 9/7/2011 8:44:00 PM by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2775101/posts
Model of lost Surrey Tudor palace unveiled
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-surrey-14801476
Great pictures here:
Revealed, Henry VIII’s lost pleasure palace: Amazing scale model recreates Nonsuch Palace more than 300 years after it was destroyed
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2050919/Henry-VIIIs-lost-Nonsuch-Palace-recreated-300-years-destroyed.html
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/19/article-2050919-0E6FD2D200000578-73_634x395.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/19/article-2050919-0E6FD11200000578-618_634x420.jpg
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/19/article-2050919-0E6FCD7A00000578-608_634x417.jpg
A new look at lost palace that was the apple of Henry’s eye
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/science/archaeology/article3156423.ece
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/multimedia/archive/00207/Nonsuch_95363243_207741c.jpg
http://www.modelhouses.co.uk/museum-work.asp
http://www.modelhouses.co.uk/images/pics/MW4.jpg
http://britishheritage.com/dateline/
http://britishheritage.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Dateline_img9.jpg
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/shires/Shires/nonsuch_history.html
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/shires/Shires/nonsuch_history_files/article-2050919-0E6FD112000.png
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/shires/Shires/nonsuch_history_files/GW475H578.jpg
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/shires/Shires/nonsuch_history_files/GW482H596.jpg
http://www.ayrshirefarm.com/shires/Shires/nonsuch_history_files/article-2050919-0E6FD112000.png
http://onthetudortrail.com/Blog/2011/03/09/nonsuch-palace-henry-viiis-privy-palace/
http://onthetudortrail.com/Blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Nonsuch_Palace_by_Joris_Hoefnagel.jpg
http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/NonsuchPalace.html
http://www.epsomandewellhistoryexplorer.org.uk/images/NonsuchHorne.jpg
Henry VIII’s Nonsuch Palace rebuilt in miniature
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2775101/posts
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