Levina Teerlinc (1510 – 1576) was a Flemish Renaissance miniaturist who served as a painter to the English court of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I.
Teerlinc played an essential role in the artistic history of the Tudor court, yet she is rarely mentioned compared to other Tudor artists.
Not only was it easy for a woman artist to be overlooked throughout history, but the circumstances surrounding her work made it incredibly hard for art historians to attribute her work correctly.
She was one of the most well-documented artists at court in miniature painting, providing at least eight portraits of Elizabeth I in the years between 1559 and 1575.
Though much of her work is lost, she must have been a highly prominent artist to receive an invitation from the King of England and become one of the highest-paid artists of the English court throughout the reigns of Mary I and Elizabeth I.
Unfortunately, no surviving work has been firmly attributed to Teerlinc. A great deal of effort has gone into identifying surviving miniatures with those described in the New Year’s gift lists, but there are no certainties.
Nonetheless, there is nothing wrong with bringing out the fine art of miniatures in the Tudor dynasty, Teerlinc being one of its largest contributors.
More of Levina Teerlinc’s miniatures and story can be found at https://www.thecollector.com/levina-teerlinc-tudor-woman-artist/ and https://artherstory.net/levina-teerlinc/.
Humoring the Goddess 