Often Overlooked, Tudor Art Richly Reflected a Turbulent Century of Growth and Change

Christina Faraday | Design Art Magazine | 6th February 2026

We mostly associate the Tudor dynasty with its superstars, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. Yet beyond their famous portraits there is a bigger art story. Vision was thought the most important of the human senses so art was used to shape political narratives. Henry VII used classical architecture to promote Protestant ideas while other monarchs supported artforms such as tapestry. Far from being a dynasty “barren of art”, the Tudors all used it to establish “courtly magnificence” and their own legitimacy.