Researchers at the University of Bradford have used artificial intelligence to analyze preparatory drawings by Hans Holbein the Younger in the Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. The AI model, which previously identified a forgotten Raphael painting, suggests that a drawing long believed to depict Anne Boleyn actually shows her mother, Elizabeth Howard, while another drawing labeled "Unidentified Woman" likely portrays Anne Boleyn herself. The findings, published in Heritage Science, are based on biometric analysis of facial features, bone architecture, and proportional relationships, offering quantifiable evidence to resolve long-standing scholarly uncertainty about the sitters' identities.
This study matters because it demonstrates how AI and computer vision can provide new, data-driven insights into art historical attribution, particularly for works where traditional documentation is incomplete or unreliable. The research not only challenges centuries-old identifications of key Tudor figures but also aligns with recent discoveries about other portraits of Anne Boleyn, including infrared analysis revealing hidden alterations. By applying facial recognition to historical drawings, the study opens a new methodological frontier for museums and scholars grappling with attribution questions, potentially reshaping our understanding of royal portraiture and Tudor history.