1. Other info.Other links.

2. My name is Sir Thomas Mansel and pictured with me is my second wife Jane. We live in Margam, near Swansea, but we also have a house in Golden Square, Soho, London. Our home in Swansea is on the estate formerly belonging to Margam Abbey. We are one of the wealthiest families in South Wales. I am the MP for Glamorgan. I have interests in coal and the docks at Swansea. I am the first son of Sir Edward Mansel of Margam, and his wife Jane Somerset. My grandfather was Sir Rhys Mansel. My wife’s father was Thomas Pole of Bishop hall, Middlesex.

3. During my early twenties I travelled abroad and spent some time in Italy. In 1597 I was elected knight for Glamorganshire I paid the artist to paint the double portrait. It will remind our family and our guests that we are an important and wealthy family.

4. This is a double portrait which shows a ¾ length view of Mansel and his wife.

5. Why do you think the decision was made to paint a ¾ length portrait? This is a double portrait which shows a ¾ length view of Mansel and his wife.

6. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done?

7. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done? Do you think that they are comfortable?

8. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done? Do you think that they are comfortable? Do you think that they are happy?

9. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done? Do you think that they are comfortable? Do you think that they are happy? How do you think that they feel about each other?

10. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done? Do you think that they are comfortable? Do you think that they are happy? How do you think that they feel about each other? What is the backgroun d of the painting like?

11. The purpose of this portrait is not to show the personality of the sitters but rather their social status and family wealth. How do you think this has been done? Do you think that they are comfortable? Do you think that they are happy? How do you think that they feel about each other? What is the backgroun d of the painting like? Why do you think that they chose a background like this?

12. Click on different parts of the picture to find out more.

13. How would you describe their expressions?

14. What do you think they are thinking about?

15. How would you describe their expressions? Would you expect a husband and wife to look at each other, or to show some feeling, if they had their portrait painted today? What do you think they are thinking about?

16. How would you describe their expressions? Would you expect a husband and wife to look at each other, or to show some feeling, if they had their portrait painted today? What do you think they are thinking about? Their skin is very pale, like porcelain. There are no wrinkles at all even though the subjects of the portrait are not particularly young.

17. Do you think that the artist has been successful in making them look important and wealthy?

18. What materials were used to make their clothes? Do you think that the artist has been successful in making them look important and wealthy?

19. What materials were used to make their clothes? Do you think that the artist has been successful in making them look important and wealthy? Do you think that their clothes were comfortable?

20. What type of flower is Jane holding in her right hand?

21. The marigold is a symbol of grief. It may have been painted to indicate the death of Jane’s first husband, John Bussy or it may represent their daughter, Mary. What type of flower is Jane holding in her right hand?

22. My wife and I would spend some time apart when I went to London to attend Parliament. Choose to be either myself or Jane and write a letter to the other person describing what has been happening either at home in Wales or in London. Remember that we are very wealthy and would have led a very privileged life and enjoyed many fine things. To find out more about the lives of the rich in Tudor and Stuart times click the links opposite.

23. When we had this portrait painted we wanted everybody to know that we were important and wealthy. Make a portrait of a person in Tudor and Stuart style clothing. Decorate it with collage materials. The materials that you use should show the importance of the subject. Also think about any props that the they should hold. To find out more about Tudor and Stuart costumes click the links below. Tudor Costume Tudor Clothes and Fashion

24. Can you remember exactly what our portrait looked like? Open the Mansel Jigsaw Smart Notebook file (manseljigsaw.notebook) and try to complete the portrait by putting the correct jigsaw pieces into the correct positions. Take a picture of our portrait in your mind before you start. Good luck! Mansel Jigsaw Notebook

25. The National Museum of Wales Website The Tomb of Sir Thomas Mansel and His Two Wives Beauty in the Seventeenth Century

26. About the painting – Date painted: 1625 Media: oil on canvas Size: 121.0 x 125.0 cm Acquired in: 1954; Purchased. The painter of the Mansel portrait is unknown. It is often assumed that families with strong court connections, such as the Mansels, were painted in London, but it is quite possible that specialist painters were summoned from London to Wales, or that a local painter was commissioned to work in the style of the court