Thomas Godsalve of Norwich and his Son, John 1528

Hans Holbein the Younger painted "Thomas Godsalve of Norwich and his Son, John" in 1528. Holbein was a German artist who spent much of his career in England, painting portraits of the English elite. Looking at this painting, consider the dynamics of power and lineage in Tudor England. We see Thomas Godsalve, a man of evident status, captured in the act of writing, perhaps signifying his role in civic or commercial life. Beside him stands his son, John, positioned slightly behind but still very present, embodying the hopes and expectations of the family's future. The contrast in their garments hints at their differing roles and stages in life. These portraits served not only as records of likeness but also as assertions of social standing and legacy. Reflect on how identity and status were carefully constructed and presented in this era, and what it meant to belong to a particular class and lineage.