The Shadow of the Tudor Court In the shifting, often perilous atmosphere of the English Tudor court, certain figures emerged from the shadows to capture the likenesses of those who held the fate of a kingdom in their hands. Master John was one such painter, an artist active during the mid-sixteenth century who moved through the halls of power during a time of profound religious and political upheaval. While the specific details of his early life remain obscured by the mists of history, his presence in the royal circle is felt through the portraits he left behind. He worked during a period whe…