More certainly looks kind and avuncular in Holbein's portrait, while Cromwell looks like a mean-eyed hired thug who is trying not to strangle his scroll of paper. I kind of like the way Mantel very neatly gets us past the latter, by having Holbein, with whom she has him on very friendly terms, have to trap TC in the corner behind a table to keep him still enough for long enough to paint him, so he's stiff and uncomfortable - and have TC himself horrified at the fact that he looks like 'a murderer'.
Of course, we're so used to seeing endless photos of ourselves, it's interesting to think of how seldom even prosperous Tudors saw themselves, other than in reflections.
The Frick is gorgeous...
Never wildly impressed with Waldemar Janusczack (sp?), but interesting (in terms of thinking how true to life were Holbein's portraits) that Henry married Anne of Cleves on the basis of Holbein's portrait, but was repulsed when he saw her in the flesh, so she was pensioned off without consummation...