Design for a Table Fountain with the Badge of Anne Boleyn 1533

Hans Holbein the Younger made this design for a table fountain in pen and black ink wash around 1533, likely in England. Designs such as this reveal the close relationship between art and power in the Tudor court. This drawing displays Holbein’s skill in rendering elaborate metalwork, probably intended for display at court banquets. The fountain incorporates the badge of Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII’s second wife, signaling both her status and the power of the monarchy. Notice the figures supporting the fountain which could be read as a symbol of the burdens of courtly life, suggesting that even luxury items could carry complex social commentaries. Historical sources, such as royal inventories and court documents, offer insight into the social rituals these objects facilitated and who had access to their symbolic power. The fountain exemplifies how artistic expression was intertwined with social and institutional dynamics.