Design for a Cup for Jane Seymour, by Hans Holbein the Younger and Workshop, 1536–37

Final design design for a cup for jane seymour. Pen and point of the brush, black ink on paper, 37. 6 × 15. 5 cm, british museum. The design is for an impressive gold cup to be presented to queen jane seymour by henry viii, whom she married on 30 may 1536. The king's and queen's initials are intertwined in love knots, and jane's motto "bound to obey and serve" appears on the lid and the foot. The resulting cup is described in henry's inventory as a "faier standing cuppe of gold garnished with diamounts and pearls" (foister, p. 87). This is the preliminary design for the cup; the final design is shown right. Holbein began the design with the left side, the right side to be copied symmetrically. According to susan foister, it has been suggested by christian müller that the more rapid and less detailed execution of the right side may have been by a workshop assistant. Date: 1536–37.