Researchers using AI have analyzed two Renaissance sketches by Hans Holbein from the Royal Collection, known as the Windsor sketch and the Unidentified Woman. The AI model, developed by Professor Hassan Ugail at the University of Bradford, compared the entire Holbein corpus and found that the Unidentified Woman may actually be Anne Boleyn, while the Windsor sketch—long thought to depict Boleyn—may instead show her mother, Elizabeth Howard. The study suggests the works were incorrectly inscribed in the 1700s, leading to centuries of misidentification.
This discovery matters because it challenges longstanding art-historical assumptions about one of the most famous figures of the Tudor court. The use of AI to re-examine a major Renaissance corpus opens new avenues for attribution and provenance research, prompting debate about the reliability of historical labels. The Royal Collection Trust has welcomed further discussion, underscoring how technology can reshape our understanding of iconic artworks and their subjects.