Unton Family. Wadley
Sir Henry Unton
Anne, Countess of Warwick, married Edward Unton of Wadley in Berkshire on 29 Apr 1555 in the small church of Hatford near Wadley.
Anne was the older sister/ aunt? of Jane Seymour, mother of Edward VI.
Anne was the older sister/ aunt? of Jane Seymour, mother of Edward VI.
This highly unusual narrative portrait of Sir Henry Unton (c. 1558-1596), in the National Portrait Gallery, was commissioned as a posthumous commemoration of his life by his widow, Dorothy née Wroughton (d. 1634).
At the heart of the composition is the portrait of Unton, flanked by figures of Fame and Death. He is surrounded by scenes from his life and death, starting in the lower right-hand corner and working anti-clockwise on the right-hand side of the composition. In each of the scenes the figure of Unton is touched by a ray of light from the sun on the right.
Many of the inscriptions in the painting are now illegible, but the one on either side of the coat of arms in the lower-right section was recorded in the late eighteenth century.
NPG 710; Sir Henry Unton - Portrait - National Portrait Gallery
In the scene of Henry's birth his mother is portrayed as being much larger than anyone else in the portrait, this is to show that she is more important than anyone else in the scene. Above her head you can see her coat of arms, and also a coronet. The lettering, which is now illegible, once read:
"This worthy and famous gentleman, Sir Henry Unton, was son unto Sir Edward Unton, Knight... and also his mother, the most virtuous Lady Anne Seymour, countess of Warwick, eldest daughter to the Lord Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, uncle to King Edward and so protector of his person, and the realm. Her uncles were Thomas and Henry Seymour, which Thomas was Lord Admiral of England and married unto Catherine Parr, last wife of King Henry VIII.
Her mother was duchess of Somerset; her aunt the Lady Jane Seymour, queen of England".
At the heart of the composition is the portrait of Unton, flanked by figures of Fame and Death. He is surrounded by scenes from his life and death, starting in the lower right-hand corner and working anti-clockwise on the right-hand side of the composition. In each of the scenes the figure of Unton is touched by a ray of light from the sun on the right.
Many of the inscriptions in the painting are now illegible, but the one on either side of the coat of arms in the lower-right section was recorded in the late eighteenth century.
NPG 710; Sir Henry Unton - Portrait - National Portrait Gallery
In the scene of Henry's birth his mother is portrayed as being much larger than anyone else in the portrait, this is to show that she is more important than anyone else in the scene. Above her head you can see her coat of arms, and also a coronet. The lettering, which is now illegible, once read:
"This worthy and famous gentleman, Sir Henry Unton, was son unto Sir Edward Unton, Knight... and also his mother, the most virtuous Lady Anne Seymour, countess of Warwick, eldest daughter to the Lord Edward Seymour, Duke of Somerset, uncle to King Edward and so protector of his person, and the realm. Her uncles were Thomas and Henry Seymour, which Thomas was Lord Admiral of England and married unto Catherine Parr, last wife of King Henry VIII.
Her mother was duchess of Somerset; her aunt the Lady Jane Seymour, queen of England".
Henry Unton - Wikipedia
‘Sir Henry Unton’, Unknown artist, Britain, 1586 | Tate
Life of Sir Henry UNTON (tudorplace.com.ar)
RBH Biography: Sir Henry Unton (d. 1596) (berkshirehistory.com)
The Portrait of Sir Henry Unton (c. 1558 - 1596)Page - National Portrait Gallery (npg.org.uk)
Berkshire History: Faringdon Monument to Sir Henry Unton
Henry Unton (abt.1558-1596) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree
Anne Seymour, Countess of Warwick - Wikipedia Henry's mother?
UNTON, Henry (c.1558-96), of Wadley, Berks. | History of Parliament Online
RBH: Faringdon Monument to Sir Edward Unton & the Countess of Warwick (berkshirehistory.com)
‘Sir Henry Unton’, Unknown artist, Britain, 1586 | Tate
Life of Sir Henry UNTON (tudorplace.com.ar)
RBH Biography: Sir Henry Unton (d. 1596) (berkshirehistory.com)
The Portrait of Sir Henry Unton (c. 1558 - 1596)Page - National Portrait Gallery (npg.org.uk)
Berkshire History: Faringdon Monument to Sir Henry Unton
Henry Unton (abt.1558-1596) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree
Anne Seymour, Countess of Warwick - Wikipedia Henry's mother?
UNTON, Henry (c.1558-96), of Wadley, Berks. | History of Parliament Online
RBH: Faringdon Monument to Sir Edward Unton & the Countess of Warwick (berkshirehistory.com)