Art Historian Discovers Missing Portrait of Henry VIII on Social Media

In a remarkable turn of events, British art historian Adam Busiakiewicz has identified a missing portrait of King Henry VIII after spotting it on social media. While browsing posts on X, Busiakiewicz noticed a painting with a distinctive arched top hanging on a wall, which he suspected to be one of the lost Tudor monarch's portraits. In a blog post, he noted that many portraits from the series had been dispersed at auction, with most remaining untraced. Busiakiewicz, who has previously made discoveries through social media, expressed his fascination with how platforms can serve as a resource for art historians. He remarked, “Some people use it to watch cat videos... and then people like me just look at what people have hanging on their walls.” Following his discovery, Busiakiewicz and fellow researcher Aaron Manning contacted Warwickshire County Council to arrange a viewing of the painting. After examining the artwork at Shire Hall, both historians confirmed their belief that it is indeed one of the commissions by Ralph Sheldon. Although the identity of the painter remains uncertain, he is often referred to as The Sheldon Master. The painting was acquired by the council in 1951, but gaps in the provenance records complicate its history. Busiakiewicz emphasized the challenges of tracing artworks sold privately, yet he remains confident in attributing the piece to Ralph Sheldon, highlighting the importance of recognizing overlooked art.