Portrait of Anne Fernely, pendant to Sir Thomas Gresham

Created in 1563 by Antonis Mor, the Portrait of Anne Fernely was painted in Antwerp as a pendant to a portrait of Sir Thomas Gresham. The work is executed in oil on canvas and depicts Anne Ferneley. Historical records indicate that the painting was once part of the collection of Robert Walpole before entering the holdings of Catherine II of Russia. It is currently located at the Rijksmuseum.

The portrait’s later reputation is evident in its passage through distinguished collections and its continued museum presence. After its completion in 1563 it entered the holdings of the English statesman Robert Walpole and subsequently Empress Catherine II of Russia. Today the work is housed in both the Rijksmuseum and the Hermitage Museum, underscoring its enduring artistic value.

Its legacy was further highlighted when it was featured in the Remember Me exhibition, which brought the painting to a contemporary audience and affirmed its significance in art‑historical discourse.

Created in 1563, this oil on panel portrait shows Anne Fernely seated in a green‑backed wooden chair. She is dressed in a black gown with white sleeves, a modest white head covering, and a gold chain at her waist, her hands poised on her lap and the chair’s arm. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and was intended as a companion piece to a portrait of her husband, Sir Thomas Gresham.

Mor’s approach to formal portraiture helped shape the visual language of later court painters, including the Spanish master Diego Velázquez. This work exemplifies the cross‑cultural exchange between Italian Renaissance influences and Northern European traditions, illustrating the evolving standards of aristocratic representation in the mid‑1500s.