The Wolsey Angels

The V&A acquired four bronze angels, originally designed for the tomb of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, chief advisor to King Henry VIII and once one of the most powerful men in England. The four Angels were created between 1524 and 1529 and they and other components of the tomb were taken over by Henry VIII to form the basis of his own tomb, after Wolsey’s death in 1530.

The Wolsey Angels
The Wolsey Angels
Actor Paul Jesson who plays Cardinal Wolsey in Hilary Mantel's book 'Wolf Hall'
Actor Paul Jesson who plays Cardinal Wolsey in Hilary Mantel's book 'Wolf Hall'
Region
London
Grant awarded
£2,000,000
Year awarded
Related News

The Wolsey Angels Saved for the Nation

“The recovery of Wolsey’s angels is one of those miracles that historians pray for; something that seems irrevocably lost has been there all the time. To claim the angels for the nation would connect us to one of the liveliest eras of our history and one of its most remarkable men.”
Hilary Mantel