Margaret, Lady Butts, by Hans Holbein the Younger, c. 1541–43

Portrait of margaret, lady butts. Black and coloured chalks, metalpont, pen and brush and ink on pink-primed paper, 38 × 27. 2 cm, royal collection, windsor castle. Margaret, lady butts, née bacon, was the wife of sir william butts, physician to henry viii. She had served as a lady-in-waiting to princess mary. Holbein made this preliminary study for his oil portrait of lady margaret. He also painted an oil portrait of sir william. Holbein is unsparing in his treatment of the 57-year-old's wrinkles. The drawing has been traced in metalpoint for transfer. Art historian k. T. Parker found some of the reinforcing lines coarse and considered that holbein's work has been much retouched. This was among his last drawings. Lady butts's date of death is not known, but she was still alive when her husband died in 1545, two years after holbein. References susan foister, holbein in england, london: tate, 2006, isbn 1854376454, p. 149. K. T. Parker, the drawings of hans holbein at windsor castle, oxford: phaidon, 1945, oclc 822974, pp. 54–55. Date: c. 1541–43.