The House of Tudor—comprised of Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I—reigned over England from the end of the 15th century until the beginning of the 17th. Despite this relatively short period, the Tudors are arguably the most familiar monarchs in British history. There was the calamity with Henry VIII’s six wives, his interminable trouble with succession, and his seizure of control over the Church of England. (Not to mention the beheading of his second wife Anne Boleyn.) And there was great portraiture. This exhibition presents iconic images in British painting, such as the “Darnley” and “Armada” portraits of Elizabeth I, and travels vividly through the Tudor generations, looking as well at the family’s courtiers, children, spymasters, and advisors. —E.C.