Levina Teerlinc (1510 - 1576)

Levina Teerlinc was the oldest of five sisters, the children of Flemish illuminator/miniaturist Simon Benninck. Born in Bruges, she began working as her father's assistant, helping with illuminations. She became so well known for her miniatures that Henry VIII of England invited her to come to England as a court artist, an offer she accepted. She and her husband George Teerlinc lived in England for the rest of her life, where she painted for all of Henry's children - Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeh I. In fact, Levina was so well-regarded that she actually earned a higher annual salary than her predecessor, the famous (male) painter Hans Holbein! Levina died on June 23, 1576 and soon after, George moved back to the Netherlands.

One of Levina's miniatures can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. It is a portrait of Lady Hudson, painted in 1575 on ivory. Other pieces probably painted by Levina include a portrait of Lady Catherine Gray and quite possibly even the Great Seal of State that Queen Elizabeth I used for official business.