She was the fifth wife of King Henry VIII, and only the second English queen to ever be executed for adultery and treason. The first, Anne Boleyn, has gone down in infamy.

In September 2025, Aaron Koller will become the first Jew to join the university’s department of Middle Eastern Studies as the Regius Professor of Hebrew, a role established by King Henry VIII.

Seen in person, “Portrait of Henry VIII” lives up to its reputation but unlike, say, the Mona Lisa, it doesn’t overpower you. You have to stand close to absorb its emotional depth.