5 ships in immediate foreground. Henry in dinghy about to climb on board a ship. mid-distance. The (handwritten?) inscription ‘Drawn from the original by S.H. Grimm’ is misleading. The Royal Collection possesses a print attributed as ‘After Samuel Hieronymus Grimm (1733-94)’ (published 5th July 1781), possibly identical to this one, stating in their catalogue that it is an 18th-century reproduction of a 16th-century British School painting at Hampton Court Palace (RCIN 405793). Stylistically, the painting appears to fit the 16th-century attribution; Grimm could therefore not have been the creator of the painting. He is famous for being a recording historian who documented many historic events through sketches and paintings. It is possible that Grimm may have created a copy of the Hampton Court picture, which Basire’s print could have been based instead. This would fit the Ministry of Defence's explanation that Basire's print was based on a drawing made by Grimm, which in turn was based on the original painting.
Inscribed: ‘The embarkation of King Henry VIII at Dover May XXXIst MDXX preparatory to his interview with the French King Francis I. From the original picture twelve feet and one inch in length, and six feet five inches in height, preserved in the royal apartments in Windsor Castle’.
The Henri Grace a Dieu is shown in the middle distance, in the centre of the right half of the picture. She was exceptional for her size and for having four masts.