A salary of 40 pounds annually supported Levina Teerlinc during her three-decade tenure as a court painter to four successive Tudor monarchs. Active in London from 1546 until her death in 1576, she remains the best-documented miniaturist working in England between the eras of Hans Holbein the Younger and the emergence of Nicholas Hilliard.
Early Life and Migration
Born in Bruges during the 1510s, Teerlinc originated from a family deeply embedded in the artistic culture of the Habsburg Netherlands. She was one of five daughters of the illuminator Simon Bening. Her lineage included connections to the painter Hugo van der Goes through her grandmother, Catherine. Before relocating to England, she likely refined her skills in manuscript illumination within her father’s workshop. In 1545, she married George Teerlinc of Blanckenberge, and the couple moved to London the following year.
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Upon arriving in London, Teerlinc secured a position at the royal court that lasted through the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. Her annual salary of 40 pounds was, by contemporary accounts, higher than that received by Holbein. Beyond her duties as a miniaturist, she is credited with designing the Great Seal for Mary I and the early seal for Elizabeth I. In 1559, she was appointed tutor in painting to the daughter of the Spanish King.
The Challenge of Attribution
Definitive identification of Teerlinc’s original works remains difficult due to her inconsistent habit of signing pieces. While historical records confirm she produced portraits of Elizabeth I annually between 1559 and 1576, as well as a depiction of the Trinity for Mary I in 1556, no surviving piece is universally accepted as hers. A 1983 exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum attempted to establish a consensus by assembling works attributed to her, including a portrait of Lady Katherine Grey, based on stylistic traits such as thin, transparent paint and loose brushwork.
Fast facts
- Born: 1510, Bruges
- Died: 23 June 1576, Stepney, London
- Occupations: Painter, illuminator
- Court tenure: 1546-1576
- Spouse: George Teerlinc
- Son: Marcus
- Salary: 40 pounds per year
Questions readers ask
Did Teerlinc leave any confirmed paintings?
No works have been definitively signed or confirmed as belonging to her, though historians attribute several miniatures to her based on her period of prominence at court.
What was her role at the English court?
She served as a court painter for four monarchs, likely trained Nicholas Hilliard, and created designs for the Great Seal of England.
