Masculine Aspirations: Young Men Asserting Masculinity Through Arms & Armor in Tudor Portraiture
Undergraduate: Jeremy Howell
Faculty Advisor: Tatiana String
Department: History
In the Fall of 2016, I had the opportunity to conduct original research on the North Carolina Museum of Art¿¿¿s recently reexamined work,¿¿Portrait of a Gentleman Wearing a Breastplate¿¿(circa 1585-1590). My research culminated in the first scholarly paper written on this portrait. It is my intention to convey my findings at the 2017 Celebration of Undergraduate Research.¿¿Portrait of a Gentleman Wearing a Breastplate¿¿offers viewers a look into the psychology of young aristocratic Tudor men. My presentation will address the following questions: What did masculinity mean to Tudor men; How did young Tudor men visually assert their masculinity; and Why did these young men desire to be seen as masculine?¿¿Through analysis and comparison to contemporaneous portraits with similar subjects, it was shown that young aristocratic Tudor men asserted their masculinity in their portraits by carrying specific kinds of weapons and wearing armor that displayed heroic iconography. To a lesser extent, this presentation will reveal how powerful body language enhanced this assertion of masculinity.¿¿As¿¿Portrait of a Gentleman Wearing a Breastplate¿¿has only been recently reintroduced to the art historical community, this presentation will identify what specific arms and armor are found in the portrait. My presentation will be one of several on Dr. Tania String¿¿¿s Arts in England Panel.