Boleyn in Fragment Heart Ornament

The Boleyn in Fragment Heart Ornament is a one-of-one, handmade textile piece inspired by Tudor history and the fractured legacy of Anne Boleyn.

Referencing the visual language most closely associated with her - the letter B, pearls, gold, and the darkness of court dress - this ornament explores the idea of fragmentation: how memory, identity and historical women are often preserved only in parts. The heart is created as a devotional object rather than a decorative novelty, holding tension rather than resolution.

Entirely hand-stitched using traditional embroidery techniques, the piece incorporates velvet, glass beads, silver thread and hand-finished details. The surface is intentionally irregular, allowing texture and asymmetry to speak to disruption, loss and distortion over time. The making process is slow and considered, taking several hours from initial construction to completion.

Designed to be kept, displayed or carried, Boleyn in Fragment reflects on how Anne Boleyn endures as a collection of symbols, interpretations and remains.

Details

• Handmade heart ornament inspired by Tudor history
• One of one
• Hand embroidery, beadwork and thread work
• Velvet base with gold and pearl detailing
• Designed and made in the UK

This piece forms part of an ongoing body of work exploring historical women through devotional textile objects.