Henry VIII and His Six Wives: a costume drawing for the 1970s historical epic

Premiering on 1 January 1970, The Six Wives of Henry VIII was a landmark production, launching the BBC’s reputation as the leading maker of colour historical costume drama. Costume designer John Bloomfield’s work on the show had begun far in advance: it took a year to design and make the 300-plus costumes required for the six-part series.

Each episode is feature length, focusing on a single wife, but despite its ambition, budgets for the series were tight, requiring Bloomfield to exercise incredible ingenuity to create the opulent looks of the Tudor court. This must have seemed especially challenging with the BBC series coming hot on the heels of the feature film Anne of the Thousand Days (1969), which won an Oscar for Margaret Furse’s costumes. Historical portraiture was a key reference for Bloomfield (many of the costumes can be traced to specific works by artists such as Hans Holbein) and the designer worked hard to bring the rich colours and textures of Renaissance painting to life on screen.

In collaboration with his wife Ann, Bloomfield deployed a host of techniques to achieve this. Cheap fabrics were painted, appliqued with cut-out pieces of lace and piped with silver-coloured glue to mimic exquisite embroidery. Haberdashery staples such as braiding, trims, ribbons and glass beads, as well as household items including washers, completed the effect, creating rich embellishment and accessories. 

Costumes were also judiciously re-used, with elements combined in different combinations to create new looks. Even with limited costume changes, the clothing deftly supports the creation of character and the relation of characters to each other (when things are going well, for instance, Henry’s clothing frequently complements that of his current paramour).

The Six Wives of Henry VIII was a sensation. It won BAFTAs for Michell and for Annette Crosbie as the beleaguered Catherine of Aragon, as well as for Bloomfield’s costumes and Peter Seddon’s production design. The series kickstarted Tudor-fever, with a sequel – Elizabeth R –  broadcast the following year, followed by a prequel, The Shadow of the Tower, in 1972. The same year also saw a feature film remake, Henry VIII and His Six Wives, directed by Waris Hussein, again with costumes by John Bloomfield.

This beautiful costume illustration is one of a number of drawings for the project from the Ann and John Bloomfield Collection. It neatly demonstrates the Bloomfields’ wider approach, deploying collage and mixed media to create an ornate and richly textured image that captures the majesty and vanity of Henry VIII, as played by Keith Michell.

Produced with the support of the BFI Screen Heritage Fund, awarding National Lottery funding.